Ricardo tilted his head while I held him by the collar. Fear gripped me to the point my neck stiffened, but I clenched my trembling hands even tighter.

“I can demand this much from you.”

The wick in his black eyes shone a clear yellow, not even trying to hide. That gaze subtly urged me on.

“So, Rica. Tell me right now that you’ll save my family.”

His eyelashes, illuminated by moonlight, cast long shadows across his face. If he were to dismiss me with those coolly downcast eyes, it would be over. I could no longer go against his words. That was the reality.

The one that existed between Rochester and Pennel.

“Lienne.”

Suddenly, my name was called unexpectedly. An unfitting longing for the situation washed over me, unbelievable even to myself. My chest instantly heated up as if set aflame. My eyes grew hot.

“…Yes?”

“Don’t call me that.”

Ah… Isn’t this cheating? Speaking exactly like in our childhood, as if memories remained.

And at such a precarious distance.

He firmly wrapped his hand around mine, which was clutching his clothes like a lifeline. My hand disappeared, turning white within his large one.

My eyes closed involuntarily at the sensation that felt so hot.

Ricardo slowly pried my hand off of him. As the faint smell of alcohol from him faded, my scattered senses gradually returned.

His eyes gleamed brightly, making me feel as if I was being strangled.

“I-I’m sorry, Young Master.”

“…”

“But I’m desperate right now. So please forgive my rudeness and spare my life and my family’s.”

“It’s the first time I’ve learned that someone who wants to live would dare act like this before me.”

Though his voice was as calm as a placid lake, it was words that could freeze the lake solid in an instant.

“Well, I’ve clearly understood that your words are the plain truth, so I should compensate for the price of my life. In some way.”

I quickly raised my lowered head.

“Is that true?”

“But not today… I’m too tired right now.”

“But I’m in a hurry.”

“I’m not.”

Anger surged, but I gritted my teeth and forced a smile. If I provoked him further here, he might withdraw even his words about reconsidering.

“I-I see, it is late at night after all.”

“Yes, I’ll think about it in the morning. About how to compensate.”

I took a deep, shaky breath and exhaled in several short bursts. It felt like I could barely breathe at his single word of considering it.

“I understand. Then I’ll come see you early in the morning.”

“Again, barging in like this?”

“No, this time I’ll go through the proper procedures.”

“Alright, then you may leave.”

He pressed his fingers against his eyelids, seemingly truly tired. I hurriedly stood up and quickly walked towards the door I had entered through.

My heart was anxious, but I could no longer rush him.

As I grasped the doorknob, trying to calm myself with various positive thoughts, Ricardo’s voice called out urgently from behind me.

“No, not that one!”

‘What?’

As I turned to look at him, the door opened, and I saw Ricardo hastily walking, no, practically flying towards me. When I turned my gaze back to the opened door, he slammed it shut behind me with a loud bang.

But it was after I had already seen what was inside that room.

As I thought that I, a seriously directionally challenged person, had once again taken the wrong direction and opened the wrong door, I recalled what I had just seen.

When I quickly turned my head to look at Ricardo, for the first time since meeting him again, I could read an emotion-like emotion from him.

Bewilderment. What he was feeling was clearly embarrassment.

“Open this door.”

As I tilted my head slightly and stared at him, Ricardo completely covered his eyes with his slender, delicate fingers.

I pulled hard on the doorknob I was holding, but the door wouldn’t open due to Ricardo’s strength.

“Open it right now. I’ve already seen what’s inside anyway.”

“Ha.”

Sighing heavily, he lowered his hand and met my eyes.

“It’s nothing.”

“Then I’ll check for myself.”

After a brief standoff with me, Ricardo stepped back instead of engaging in a physical struggle with a woman not even a handful his size. Then he quickly turned away.

My fingertips hesitated for a moment, but I opened the door wide.

And I had to face the numerous versions of myself inside.

At that time, in the Duke and Duchess’s bedroom.

As his wife tossed and turned before finally getting up from bed, the Duke, who had been reading a book, followed her with his gaze.

Pola de Serhen.

She was still as beautiful as when they first met, even as time passed. The Duke removed the glasses he had been wearing to read and gazed at his wife intently.

The only daughter of the Serhen Count family, she was called the finest lady in Dermayer society 20 years ago. And that position remained unchallenged by anyone to this day.

“I’ve told you it’s not good to drink that before bed.”

As his wife, unable to sleep, finally picked up a glass of alcohol, the Duke gently dissuaded her and then pulled the bell rope to summon a servant. After ordering the servant who soon appeared to bring warm tea, he sat down in front of his wife.

“Can’t you sleep?”

Pola nodded, then suddenly glared at her husband.

“Why did you appear in the reception room this afternoon?”

“Well… I couldn’t bear the curiosity.”

Ceasing her glaring, she heaved a deep sigh.

“How did it seem to you?”

“It was… interesting.”

This time, Pola shook her head. Who would know?

There was a saying that when Gerald Gardarelli Rochester became angry, even the sun in the sky would hide. That such a man could be so playful and even cute was probably a fact known only to her in this world.

Her husband had not received the power of Rochester. Nevertheless, he had protected the Rochester family more firmly than anyone else.

Pola knew better than anyone how much painstaking effort he had made, not having the family’s power.

When she came out to society for marriage, all the nobles were in an uproar. Everyone praised Pola as the noblest lady in the empire and added that she would undoubtedly become the Crown Princess.

She, who had been a childhood friend of the Crown Prince, also believed without doubt that she would become the Crown Prince’s wife.

But that thought completely changed the moment she saw the man before her eyes now.

Literally, she fell in love with Gerald at first sight.

Hair blacker than the night sky and black eyes filled with warmth. A height a full span taller than most men and broad shoulders. Plus, the slight dimple on his right cheek that appeared whenever he smiled.

Because of his image that appeared in her mind at all times, disrupting her thoughts, Pola went directly to the Rochester family. And she proposed to Gerald herself.

If she had been rejected, she would never have set foot in society again. It was unimaginable in the social circles of that time, which were even more conservative towards women than now.

Pola had never regretted that decision she made back then even once. Not even when the damn oracle turned her life upside down in an instant.

“Do you think Lienne went to see Ricardo?”

“You call her name so easily.”

“She asked me to, calling me mother.”

He shrugged his shoulders.

“That child would have gone to see Ricardo and then some. They might even be meeting right now. Why did you meet that child?”

“I want Ricardo to have a human heart.”

“…”

“Have you ever seen it? Ricardo smiling or crying or getting angry, or genuinely being happy?”

The Duke remained silent. There was no way he could answer.

“If he had resented us, we could have at least received forgiveness from him.”

“We didn’t have much time.”

Pola smiled unsuitably. Seven years had already passed since Ricardo returned to the Duke’s family. In that time, their son had absorbed everything about Rochester at an unbelievable speed. And from the age of 18, he had been roaming battlefields.

If the Duke and Duchess were to make excuses about their relationship with their son, that would be it.

The Emperor might wish that Ricardo would not return alive from the battlefield, but he always emerged victorious.

Until there were no more countries to wage war against.

So it wasn’t that the Duke and Duchess had no time to face their son at all. They simply lacked the courage.

“He will never forgive us.”

“Dear.”

“Because he resents being brought into this world.”

“Pola, such words hurt both you and me.”

“Even so, we mustn’t forget. He resents us for burdening him with such a tremendous fate.”

Ricardo, who had lost his memories and returned home, was like an ice castle surrounded by solid walls on all sides.

An ice castle that seemed like it would melt away without a trace if even a little warmth circulated. No one could squeeze in through even the slightest gap. It seemed like he would crumble if anyone touched him. It was difficult to even keep him close, let alone soothe his wounds.