I didn’t notice it while we were talking, but once the conversation ended and silence fell, it felt awkward and uncomfortable.

I got the answer I wanted, should I get up now?

Irene watched Abell carefully, looking for an opportunity to stand up.

“Oh my, I almost forgot to give you this.”

On the other hand, Abell seemed to still have some business left, as he let out a short exclamation and smacked his forehead.

Then he took out a small box from his pocket and held it out to Irene.

“Take it.”

“What is this?”

There was that fruit incident before.

From what she had observed so far, Abell had never done anything ordinary, so Irene asked warily.

In response, Abell smiled kindly, as if trying to put her at ease, and replied.

“What else could it be? It’s a gift from me.”

“That’s alright.”

Irene flatly declined, not wanting to accept anything from Abell.

Abell tilted his head in response.

“Are you sure you don’t want it? This item originally belonged to you, you know?”

“Pardon?”

What does he mean by that?

As Irene was puzzled, she suddenly recalled what Jessie had said.

Jessie mentioned that Abell had taken the hairpin she had asked to be repaired, saying he would fix it himself.

“Could it be… the hairpin of mine you said you’d repair?”

“That’s right.”

She didn’t think it would actually be that hairpin.

Not only Irene’s eyes looking at the box, but also her resolve to not accept anything from Abell, began to waver.

“Do you really not need it?”

“…No, I do.”

Irene answered somewhat timidly, embarrassed about changing her mind after firmly refusing earlier.

Abell smiled and held out the box again.

“Take it.”

“Thank you.”

Irene opened the box she received and took out the hairpin.

In place of the Mermaid’s Tear, there was a gleaming purple gem set in it.

Even the part that had been slightly cracked from being dropped was completely repaired.

‘It’s beautiful.’

She had wanted a purple color reminiscent of Kalos’s eyes, and it was exactly that feeling, so she was very pleased.

“Do you like it?”

“Yes. I really like it.”

Abell smiled with satisfaction and lifted his chin.

“Of course you’d like it. After all, I made it.”

It was a somewhat obnoxious confidence, but this time she had to admit it.

Honestly, when Abell said he would fix the hairpin, she worried if he could do it well, but it turned out to be a needless concern.

Irene bowed her head to Abell in gratitude.

“Thank you for fixing the hairpin.”

“It’s nothing.”

Abell rubbed his nose, seeming a bit embarrassed.

“The part that holds the hairpin was broken too, so I fixed it in my own way. I’m not sure if it’s alright. Try it on.”

“Ah, yes.”

Irene fumbled as she put the hairpin in her hair.

Without a mirror, she wasn’t sure if she had put it on correctly.

“It’s crooked.”

As expected, it was crooked.

Irene tried to put the hairpin on again, but Abell shook his head and stood up, indicating it was still not right.

“Give it here. I’ll do it for you.”

As Abell approached her side and reached out his hand, Irene shook her head in embarrassment.

“Ah, no. I can do it myself while looking in a mirror…”

“It doesn’t seem like there’s a mirror in this reception room.”

Irene looked around the reception room.

As Abell said, there was no mirror in sight.

“Then I could ask for a mirror to be brought…”

“Don’t make the servants work for just a mirror. Just give it to me. I’ll do it for you.”

“…”

Irene was reluctant, but feeling it wasn’t right to trouble the servants as he said, she reluctantly handed over the hairpin.

“Stay still.”

Abell moved even closer.

The suddenly shortened distance was uncomfortable, and when his cold fingers slightly touched the tip of her ear, Irene hunched her shoulders and lowered her gaze.

Then she saw Abell’s shadow stretching long behind him.

With Abell’s hands over her shoulders, the shadow should have been in the same pose.

…But why did it look like it was about to strangle Abell’s neck?

“Um…”

Just as Irene, sensing something was off, was about to speak to Abell.

Bang−!

The tightly closed door burst open loudly.

Both Irene and Abell turned around in surprise.

There stood Kalos, gripping the doorknob, emanating a chilling, even ominous aura.

“…”

Kalos’s eyebrows slanted downwards as he saw the two standing uncomfortably close.

Kalos strode over and grabbed the back of Abell’s neck.

“Get away from her right now.”

“Ack. W-wait a moment!”

Kalos pulled so roughly that Abell had no choice but to be dragged away without proper resistance.

What in the world is going on?

Irene stared at them blankly, dumbfounded.

Still gripping the back of Abell’s neck, Kalos asked fiercely.

“What were you trying to do to her just now?”

Abell raised both hands to shoulder height as if trying to prove his innocence, and answered compliantly.

“Nothing in particular. I was just trying to put the hairpin in for her.”

“Hairpin?”

“Yes. Hairpin.”

Abell said this while pointing at Irene.

Following his finger, Kalos’s gaze shifted to Irene.

“…”

Irene touched her hair in surprise as the attention suddenly focused on her.

Her fingertips brushed against the hairpin Abell had fixed.

“I’m right, aren’t I, Irene?”

…Why is he suddenly acting so familiar? Even calling me by name.

Irene felt somewhat disgruntled, but since Abell’s words were true and she didn’t want to cause any strange misunderstandings, she nodded.

“See? I told you so. Now that the misunderstanding is cleared up, will you let go of me?”

“…”

Kalos looked at Abell with a considerably displeased expression before releasing his hold on his neck.

“Ow, I think my clothes got stretched.”

Abell grumbled, but Kalos didn’t even spare him a glance as he approached Irene.

Then he snatched away the hairpin in question that Abell had put on her.

“It doesn’t suit you.”

“…”

Kalos’s carelessly thrown words left a large bruise on her heart.

Irene bit her lip, trying to swallow the sigh rising to her throat.

“…”

Seeing Irene’s expression darkening, Kalos’s brow furrowed.

“That…”

Just as Kalos was about to say something, Abell tactlessly interrupted, nudging Kalos’s side with his elbow.

“Hey, hey. What’s with this tense atmosphere?”

“Are you perhaps jealous? Hm? That’s it, right? You’re jealous because I put the hairpin on her myself?”

“…”

It was nonsense not even worth answering. Kalos pushed Abell away hard, meaning to tell him to stop talking nonsense.

But apparently not noticing the meaning, Abell continued speaking with a grin.

“To think I’d live to see you being jealous. I guess you really do see something new every day.”

Really annoying.

Kalos wanted to lash out at Abell, but he held back for now since Irene was watching.

Irene would tremble like a herbivore in front of a predator even if he just raised his voice a little, even when he wasn’t actually angry at her.

He didn’t want to see that.

“I said I’m not.”

Kalos spoke as calmly as possible, but with a cold gaze to ensure his point got across, enunciating each word firmly to Abell.

“Hmm, I guess you really aren’t.”

Finally believing me?

Kalos thought Abell would quiet down now, but his expectation was spectacularly wrong.

“Then is it okay if I seduce that woman?”

Abell spouted even more nonsensical words than before.

Kalos turned to look at Abell with a dumbfounded expression. It was so absurd he couldn’t even get angry.

“…”

Irene was equally shocked.

Suddenly saying he’ll seduce me. What kind of nonsense is this?

‘He must be joking.’

Abell tended to be more playful than most people.

And since he seemed to enjoy teasing Kalos, this must be another joke.

“I told you not to make strange jokes.”

Kalos seemed to think the same as Irene, warning him sternly.

But Abell didn’t back down.

“Do I look like someone frivolous enough to joke about this?”

“…”

As he threw back a rather meaningful remark, Kalos frowned.

Abell scratched his head and continued.

“Well, given my usual behavior, it’s not unreasonable to think that way, but this time it’s not the case.”

For a moment, the smile disappeared from Abell’s face.

He spoke with a rarely seen serious expression.

“I’m really interested in that woman.”

Then he turned to look at Irene.

Meeting those purple eyes that were serious to the point of being eerie, Irene flinched and clasped her hands together.

“Until now, I kept quiet thinking you were interested, but… if that’s not the case, then I can approach her without hesitation from now on, right?”

No. I don’t like that. Please don’t do that.

Irene was about to answer that way, but before she could, Kalos asked back.

“Are you saying this knowing her situation?”

What situation am I in?

At the sudden remark, Irene turned to look at Kalos with wavering eyes.

“…”

However, Kalos didn’t even glance in Irene’s direction.

Abell looked back at Kalos and nodded.

“Yes. Rather, that’s why I’m more interested in her and want to treat her well.”

“…”

“Because she’s destined to disappear when all the flowers bloom. Before that happens, I want to teach her many things and let her experience a lot. Love is one of those things.”

It was a series of incomprehensible statements.

Irene tried to mull over Abell’s words, but no matter how much she thought about it, she couldn’t understand.

“…”

On the other hand, Kalos’s expression froze coldly, seeming to have fully understood what Abell wanted to say.

He wanted to tell him to cut out the unnecessary talk, but he couldn’t bring himself to do so.

After all, Kalos too had been kind to Irene out of pity and sympathy for her fate, which had been tragically sealed due to being caught between Dale and himself.

Telling Abell not to care or to lose interest would be nothing short of hypocrisy.

Rather, he should be grateful that Abell was willing to do what he couldn’t.

“…”

Clearly, that’s how he should feel, so why was he so irritated?

Was it because Abell’s involvement would make it harder to win Irene’s heart, which was necessary for the flowers to bloom?

Questions kept piling up one after another.

Seeing Kalos’s expression contort miserably, Abell asked again.

“Is it okay if I seduce that woman?”

“…”

Instead of answering right away, Kalos turned to look at Irene.

Irene was watching them with a half-dazed expression.

…She doesn’t seem to particularly dislike it.

Well, that’s why she accepted the hairpin Abell gave her.

And even let him put it on her himself.

“…”

As he recalled that scene again, Kalos’s hand clenched tightly.

The hairpin shattered as a result, with fragments embedding into his palm.

“…”

Only then coming to his senses, Kalos rubbed his face with his uninjured hand.

What a pathetic thing to do.

Finding himself pitiful and ridiculous, Kalos clicked his tongue and turned his head.

“Do as you please.”

Then he placed the broken hairpin in Abell’s hand.

“As long as it doesn’t interfere with the flowers blooming, nothing else matters.”