Instead of answering, Delphine gazed back at him with gentle eyes.

Recently, he had been kinder and more affectionate than ever before.

It was evident from how he made time to spend with Delphine like this, despite being incredibly busy with the ongoing guerrilla warfare.

It was thanks to Delphine’s diligent seduction while waiting for the right time to infiltrate the Duke of Purcell’s villa.

By now, could it be love? Had she succeeded in her mission?

…Would this help at all in infiltrating the Purcell family villa?

As she pondered these thoughts while gazing at flower petals swaying in the spring breeze, he quietly embraced her from behind.

Delphine leaned comfortably against his solid body.

His large hand gently caressed her arm.

She had now grown accustomed to receiving this man’s touch.

She was now familiar with the feel of his rough, calloused palms, so different from her own.

The tingling in her chest whenever his hand brushed against her, the ache in her lower abdomen as his touches became increasingly intimate.

And her own skilled acceptance of all this was no longer strange to her.

So today, shall we go a little further?

“…I just remembered something else I like.”

After staying quietly in his arms, she suddenly spoke, and Ioan replied with apparent delight.

“What is it, my lady?”

His face showed that he was happy just learning about things she liked.

Delphine tilted her chin up to look at him directly and slowly parted her lips.

“Del.”

“…Del?”

“Yes. I like it when you call me ‘Del’. I love that.”

“I see, my la…”

“Not ‘my lady’, nor ‘Delphine’.”

Delphine interrupted him with a slight smile.

“And certainly not Delphine Pembrook. Not those, just Del is good.”

One thing she had realized while deceiving him all this time:

To give a good performance, you need to mix a bit of truth into the lie.

So that even the liar themselves can’t tell what’s false and what’s true.

With her head resting against his back, Delphine whispered as softly as the spring breeze.

“Del. Please call me Del.”

“…”

After taking a deep breath, he turned her around in his arms.

Then, unexpectedly, he knelt before her.

“…Ioan?”

He didn’t answer her confused question.

Instead, he slowly reached out to gently grasp her red hair that flowed around her waist.

He caressed the luscious locks as if coveting them, then slowly brought them to his lips for a kiss.

Then he just slightly raised his head to meet her eyes.

“Del.”

At that seemingly sincere gaze, at that voice calling her Del for the first time in so long.

Tears welled up in Delphine’s emerald eyes.

How much sincerity and how much falsehood were mixed in this emotion right now?

Even she could no longer distinguish.

“Del. My Del…”

A garden full of flowers welcoming spring.

A beautiful blonde man in a white uniform, kneeling before her.

Her childhood first love, now her husband.

If one were to simply list these facts, it would be a moment anyone would dream of in their youth.

…Even if beneath the surface lay a battle of wits of deception, hidden truths, and deep-rooted love and hatred.

In that dreamlike moment, with his brown eyes focused only on her, he very slowly recited.

“I love you.”

Thud.

Her heart made a loud noise as it plummeted to the floor.

Delphine’s eyes, looking down at him, also wavered greatly.

As if not wanting to miss even the slightest change in her expression, he stared intently and continued speaking.

“Del. I love you. I love you so very much.”

Her heart was beating so fast that she could hear its pounding even in her own ears.

…This must surely be the joy of victory?

Yes, it must be that. No, it had to be.

Delphine secretly clenched her small fist behind her back.

She had finally gotten the answer she wanted from him.

The result of a month of swallowing her pride and working on him was now bearing fruit before her eyes.

So she should certainly be happy. And yet…

…Why is my heart acting like this?

She felt neither the joy of succeeding in her mission, nor the satisfaction of winning over a man who had been so coldly prideful.

Instead, she was overwhelmed by the urge to shake off his hand and run away right now.

What on earth is this feeling?

Delphine soon realized what her feelings were.

This was self-loathing.

Even knowing he was such a cruel and mysterious man, knowing she should never love such a man.

Even though she had deliberately seduced him while deceiving him.

She hated herself for being so easily shaken by his confession.

Her body was under bright sunlight in a flower garden, but her heart was in the mud.

“…And you?”

It seemed the silence had stretched on too long.

After observing her for a long time, he finally couldn’t hold back and asked.

“…”

Delphine hesitated, her red lips quivering.

What should she answer at a time like this? What would an excellent spy do?

Instead of questioning her own heart, she recalled what her role required her to do, and slowly parted her lips.

“I love you.”

This much wouldn’t be enough.

Forcing a smile to the corners of her lips at the man scrutinizing her intensely, Delphine added:

“Perhaps, since the day you saved me.”

She wanted to say it was even before that, but if she mentioned the past, he would once again feign ignorance.

Overreacting and trying to bite her in self-protection.

Just as he had done when she stroked his back that day.

So Delphine simply said this, burying the past that both he and she knew:

“I’ve been in love with you ever since then.”

Then, fearing he might see the wavering in her eyes, she hurriedly fell into his arms.

He willingly raised those strong arms to hold her tightly.

Nestled in that steel-like embrace, Delphine trembled slightly.

How much sincerity and how much falsehood were in these words?

Once again, Delphine couldn’t tell.

Early evening, when the moon had just risen, in the study.

Delphine burned the note delivered by a transparent pigeon in the candlelight.

It was clearly information from the spy La Rouge had planted in Duke Purcell’s circle.

The Duke would make his move tonight.

And today, all the secrets she had been waiting for would be revealed.

La Rouge had been meticulously preparing for this day.

Of course, the information Delphine had extracted from Ioan played a crucial role.

Delphine was also set to participate in today’s operation.

For that, she first needed to go to Cookie’s house in District 3.

Though Ioan had come home early today and was still in the house, he would soon…

Knock knock.

As if on cue.

The sound of knocking on the study door was heard.

She didn’t need to ask who it was.

“Come in, Ioan.”

The tall man entered the study.

He was already back in his white uniform.

“Del. So you were here.”

Delphine smiled, pointing to the book on the table.

Glad she had quickly burned the note.

“Yes. I was reading. But, what brings you here…?”

“Well, it seems I need to go out again.”

Ioan slightly furrowed his brow, looking displeased.

Yes. Of course.

La Rouge’s forces would be causing a disturbance in the northern part of District 3 to draw you out.

Hiding these thoughts, Delphine spoke as if worried:

“Oh my. At this hour?”

“There seems to be a problem in the northern area of District 3. …That’s the area Duke Purcell manages.”

The moment he uttered Purcell’s name, his eyes turned cold.

Of course, they deliberately chose Duke Purcell’s territory to cause confusion.

Instead of saying that, Delphine grumbled in a pretend coy tone:

“Really, it seems this country can’t function without you.”

At those words, Ioan stared at her intently.

Feeling a bit uneasy at his strange gaze, Delphine smiled awkwardly, when he suddenly asked:

“But Del. You haven’t gone out today, have you?”

“…Pardon? That’s true, but why do you ask?”

“It’s almost dinner time, but you’re still in your outdoor clothes.”

“Ah.”

Thinking she would be going out soon, she hadn’t bothered changing into indoor clothes.

Oh no.

Delphine deliberately smiled casually while quickly coming up with an excuse.

“Well, I was thinking of visiting the bakery in District 2 before dinner.”

The sun hadn’t even set yet. It wasn’t an unreasonable time to say she was going out for a bit.

Especially since he had been allowing her to go out relatively freely lately.

“…The bakery?”

He raised one eyebrow.

“Don’t you dislike sweets, Del?”

This man was strangely persistent today.

Maybe I shouldn’t have said bakery. Should have made up a different excuse.

Grumbling inwardly, Delphine slightly lowered her head as if embarrassed and said:

“Women sometimes have cravings for such things.”

At that, he raised both hands as if apologizing.

With a somewhat sly expression.

Seeing him seemingly drop all suspicion, Delphine finally felt relieved.

“My, I shouldn’t delay any longer. Then, I’ll be off. Del.”

Smiling with his eyes curved, he added the farewell he had been using lately towards her.

“…Stay safe.”