The butler, who was bringing late breakfast to the table, had a rather shocked expression. But there was no reason for the servant before him to lie.

Although still young, he had been working here since he was 15. He even started as the butler’s assistant, so there was no question about his credibility.

“No, sir. He was certainly with some lady.”

“That can’t be…”

The servant’s explanation continued as the butler looked on with a puzzled face.

The bell had rung in a room thought to be empty, and since the butler was briefly away, he had hurriedly gone to Walter’s room. When he knocked and entered, Walter was clearly not alone.

Walter’s expression hardened ominously.

Though he had often lost his memories, he was a methodical person. The butler, who knew the family’s secrets, always kept track of his every move, and he only used spatial movement intermittently when it was extremely urgent.

“Hmm… You’re sure no one came to this house except His Highness the Crown Prince and the palace attendants?”

“That’s correct.”

The butler answered with a confident look. If so, it meant his memories after returning to the mansion had disappeared. Then this was… Faquin’s doing?

“And you’re certain no one saw Julian?”

“That’s right.”

Julian Beau Faquin was a person prone to mistakes. It was hard to believe he had handled things so meticulously. Moreover, an opportunist far from recklessness wouldn’t have tampered with a royal’s memories…

“What was the woman’s appearance and attire?”

If that was the case, there was someone else Walter needed to find. He had to prevent the secret of the Chaplin power from leaking out at all costs.

Exposing a strength meant it could become an equally great weakness.

“Well…”

Glancing at Walter’s stern expression, the servant carefully chose his words.

“She was wearing a silver dress. The skirt part was decorated with blue jewels.”

Silver hair, blue eyes, rather tall, thin build, quite a beautiful face. A vague image flashed by, but it was just a fleeting afterimage. With such a specific description, finding the woman would only be a matter of time.

At that moment, the servant hesitated. As Walter’s already serious expression deepened into a frown, the butler urged him on.

“What is it? Tell me everything you saw.”

“Well… she was holding a yellow rose.”

Knowing how much he normally despised such frivolous noble pastimes, it was understandable why the servant had hesitated to answer.

“Ha, a yellow rose…”

It was astounding enough that he had crossed over with a woman, but a yellow rose on top of that. Though he usually didn’t show much emotion, his brow furrowed involuntarily at the unpleasant feeling. Just where had the silver-haired woman holding a yellow rose disappeared to?

“Find out if a woman matching that description attended the Enehaz Count’s party that day.”

If she had done something impulsive and fled because she couldn’t handle it, he could easily track her down. It was clear that her identity would fall into his hands before noon tomorrow.

“Understood.”

Hearing the loyal butler’s response, Walter let out a short laugh.

‘What should I do when I meet her?’

Despite not enjoying wasteful pastimes like hunting, he felt interested for the first time in a long while, as if an amusing game had begun. Then suddenly, he spread open his hand and stared at it for a long time.

Why did his empty hand feel somehow incomplete? As if something he had been grasping had been taken away by someone.

‘I’ll find out when I find that woman.’

Until then, Walter hadn’t thought he would have such difficulty finding her. Nor did he imagine he would encounter her in an unexpected place, in an unwanted relationship.

My engagement ceremony with Ricardo was just two weeks away.

The days truly flew by in a whirlwind. If I had known there would be so much to prepare for a ducal engagement, I might not have rashly begged him to get engaged. There were an overwhelming number of things to take care of and decisions to make.

Yet in the midst of handling all those tasks, I hadn’t had a single moment to discuss things with my soon-to-be fiancé.

At first, I didn’t think Ricardo was intentionally avoiding me. But after not being able to meet him for ten days, I couldn’t help but feel unpleasant emotions creeping in.

No matter how large the Hyacinth Villa was, how could it be so difficult to run into someone on the same floor of the same building?

It wasn’t until this morning that I finally learned the truth.

Ricardo had been staying at the villa closest to the main gate since returning from Count Enehaz’s estate. Freddie explained he had no choice due to the many tasks he had to handle coming and going from the imperial palace. For a moment, I was at a loss for what expression to make.

But since a ducal engagement wasn’t simply a family matter, it was impossible to never meet Ricardo.

Today, I had to go to the imperial palace with my soon-to-be fiancé. This too was something I hadn’t imagined when I begged him to get engaged.

“Haa…”

A sigh escaped involuntarily. So many enormous events were unfolding that I frequently felt overwhelmed. To think I had to face the one who had twice ordered the death of all the Pennels. Even with my strong will, I couldn’t guarantee my legs wouldn’t shake too much to stand properly.

There was one more mountain to climb before meeting the emperor.

“The young master is waiting.”

At Freddie’s words, which felt like a death sentence, my heart began to pound wildly, throwing away all pride and everything else, especially since I had recently learned there was no hope.

I pressed my fist firmly against my chest, trying to calm myself.

This dizzying flutter was natural since it was our first meeting after kissing, I told myself.

It was essentially my first kiss since that innocent peck from childhood. It was inevitable that the sharp memory would occasionally heat up my scalp.

When I finally finished preparing and left the Hyacinth Villa, he was indeed waiting for me in front of the carriage. Properly dressed in a suit like the last time I saw him, with his smooth forehead fully exposed.

The weather was so nice that flashes of light sparkled around him.

The early summer flowers, which had endured spring to fully bloom, labored to become his background. It created the illusion that everything revolved around him.

He smiled as smoothly and naturally as his appearance. Truly gentlemanly.

Seeing that, I felt a surge of resentment for some reason.

As I approached, he extended his hand with utmost courtesy, as one would treat a fiancée.

Even though it was just a hand offered for escort, it was difficult to take readily. I took a deep breath and slowly placed my hand on his, sharply realizing a tragic fact.

That I had really missed him a lot.

I filled my chest with air and steadily met his eyes. Ricardo tilted his head slightly and smiled in response. Hatefully and meanly, he was impeccably handsome at every moment.

“It’s been a while.”

Instead of answering, Ricardo nodded and gently pushed me into the carriage with the hand he was holding.

This time too, the duchess had kindly lent her own carriage.

As I entered, memories of last time unfolded before my eyes. Unknowingly, my eyes closed and my hand moved to my lips. The moment we had touched felt unreal.

As Ricardo promptly boarded the carriage, I hurriedly lowered my raised hand to my lap.

He sat down across from me and immediately smiled again.

But why did it feel like he was sitting further away from me than last time? Was it my imagination?

Seeing him like that, I couldn’t help but feel exasperated. I crossed my arms and leisurely stretched out, then slowly crossed my legs as if imitating him that day, lowering my eyes slightly.

‘So this is how you want to play it?’

He raised one eyebrow as he stared at me. I asked in a somewhat unruly manner, lightly tapping my ankle:

“I see you’ve been well.”

“Of course. Have you been alright? Are the engagement preparations going smoothly?”

His attitude of asking about his own engagement as if it were someone else’s business was so natural that I almost nodded obediently without realizing it.

“Yes, how are your engagement preparations going, young master?”

“As a man, I have less to prepare than you do. I’m sorry I couldn’t pay much attention. If I may make an excuse, there were too many imperial matters to handle before the engagement.”

“Pardon?”

Hearing this sudden kind and friendly explanation, I slowly uncrossed my legs and sat up straight.

“I see.”

Only after hearing those words did I notice the dark circles under his eyes. He really looked very tired.

“I’m worried you might be overdoing it.”

“Ah, no… It’s not like that. The duchess has been taking such good care of everything.”

When I officially began engagement preparations, the duchess brought in Countess Corhenya, who had accompanied me to the Enehaz evening party last time, as my lady-in-waiting.

According to Angela, Countess Corhenya was the duchess’s most cherished lady-in-waiting. Though I didn’t know much about noble society, I was aware that it was uncommon to give away one’s most treasured lady-in-waiting.