The distance was close. Too close.

Close enough for the tips of our noses to touch.

I stared at Dante, forgetting to breathe due to the suddenly narrowed distance.

Dante’s eyes were also fixated on me intently.

Soon, unlike when he rapidly closed the distance earlier, his face approached slowly.

Not knowing what to do, I gently closed my eyes.

Smooch.

Then, a soft sensation touched my cheek next to my lips and fell away.

“I asked how much you like me.”

At the tense, stiff voice, I cautiously opened my eyes.

“This is how much I like you.”

The smiling lips somehow felt bittersweet. Like someone who committed a sin without permission.

Ah. I know that expression.

I know that emotion.

Fear, guilt, excitement.

I know that face where everything is jumbled together haphazardly.

That face is definitely.

“…Then, this time, ask me. How I feel about you.”

“…Do you like me, my lady?”

Instead of answering, I pulled Dante close. I clearly pressed my lips against his.

The fleeting moment passed over us like an eternity.

Just a light kiss.

However, the meaning contained within it was greater than anything.

I slowly showed a bittersweet smile.

Fear, guilt, excitement.

The exact expression Dante had.

“This is how much I like you.”

I spoke of love.

Our gazes met, and our lips touched again. Slowly, stickily, breathlessly.

That’s how I spoke of love.

[This is the timeline separator]

The next day.

“My lady! Your Grace!”

As soon as the day broke, we were safely rescued by Barhan, who came leading the knights.

“Eung-heung, my lady. Are you all right?”

Siena, who was waiting in the carriage, burst into tears as soon as she saw me.

She was crying so pitifully that even the tip of my nose felt like it would sting.

“Are you injured anywhere?”

“No. I’m fine.”

“Thank goodness. Sniff. How much, how much I worried.”

I smiled and patted Siena’s back.

Ah, I have to show her the cat I picked up. Siena will surely stop crying when she sees something cute.

I left it with Barhan earlier, so I was just about to tell him to bring it.

“Truly nothing happened last night, right?”

I froze on the spot, only rolling my eyes.

“Last night, nothing happened?”

“Yes. Nothing happened, right? Or did something happen?”

Well, you see.

Something did happen last night…

The events of last night flashed through my mind.

Dante and I were covered with a cloak as a blanket, and I suddenly gulped down a drink.

And after asking Dante if he liked me under the influence of alcohol, our lips…

…Ahem.

Unable to continue speaking, I quietly got on the carriage.

“Why are you like that, my lady? Did something happen last night?”

Please stop asking, Siena.

Take a hint.

Hoping for Siena’s intuition to recover soon, I bumped my head against the carriage window.

My face hidden under the blanket felt hot.

[This is the timeline separator]

After arriving at the mansion.

The two were immediately sent to Heterson, who was already waiting at the mansion.

And Heterson wanted to go home.

〈Examine Dante first.〉

〈Examine my lady first.〉

〈…I said examine him first.〉

〈Please get examined first, my lady.〉

He wondered what kind of wealth and glory he was enjoying to witness this sight.

Ah, they pay a lot.

Come to think of it, there was something to gain, so he quietly watched the two’s fight.

Victory ultimately went to Serpina.

〈When I’m being nice, I said get examined first. I’m really going to get angry. Seriously.〉

〈…Yes.〉

After finishing his examination first, Barhan followed behind Dante.

“It would be best to discuss the devil tomorrow. You must be tired today, so rest first.”

“Okay. Sure.”

Dante nodded without refusal.

It would be better to handle the work right away, but taking a day to recover didn’t seem like a bad idea.

On top of facing the devil alone, falling off a cliff, and even sleeping outdoors.

It would be a lie to say he wasn’t tired.

“So, are you feeling a bit better?”

“This much is nothing.”

At the indifferent answer, Barhan’s eyes scanned Dante’s body through his glasses.

This is nothing?

“Sigh.”

A sigh escaped involuntarily.

Everywhere his gaze landed, there was no place without bandages.

If this much is nothing, then what exactly is ‘something’?

Well. Although he had suffered far worse injuries countless times before, Dante always answered, ‘It’s nothing.’

Perhaps to Dante, wounds were just another scar overlaid on countless existing scars.

Nothing more, nothing less.

However.

“…Still, don’t get hurt. You have a family to take responsibility for now, don’t you?”

Abruptly.

Suddenly, Dante’s steps halted.

What’s wrong? Why all of a sudden…

Tilting his head, Barhan couldn’t believe his eyes.

Dante’s neck, ears, and face were flushed bright red.

It was believable enough to be called a ripe tomato. The reaction was so intense that it made the onlooker feel embarrassed, causing a fake cough to escape.

Could it be that he reacted like that to the word ‘family’?

But for that, the reaction seems a bit excessive.

Barhan’s lips slowly curved upward, narrowing his eyes.

Whatever it was, there must have been some progress during yesterday’s picnic.

The old man’s intuition was crying out like that.

‘Asking His Grace is pointless anyway since he won’t answer.’

Barhan headed straight to Siena and Mari.

If they were the closest to her ladyship, there should be some information worth digging up.

When Barhan asked if they had noticed any strange atmosphere, Siena wracked her brain.

“Any strange atmosphere…? Ah! Come to think of it, there was something strange.”

“Something strange?”

“What strange thing?”

At Siena’s words, Mari and Barhan’s eyes lit up.

“When I asked if anything happened last night, she couldn’t answer. I asked several times, but she avoided it every time.”

As she chirpily responded, the two fell silent.

…What happened last night?

In the woods where they were stranded?

Ahem. Hmm.

Amid the combination of words that were somehow complex and subtle, only awkward fake coughs came and went.

“Could it be that the two of you had a passionate…”

“Siena!”

“Ahem-hem!”

Mari and Barhan simultaneously covered Siena’s unrestrained mouth.

“Mmph-mmph, mmph-mmph-mmph!”

[This is the timeline separator]

While the three indulged in unimaginable flights of fancy, the day had already turned to dusk.

Serpina and Dante lay side by side on the bed, blinking their eyes.

Now that they were alone, the events of last night wouldn’t leave their minds.

‘Still, we can’t just stay silent like this.’

The first to break the silence was Serpina.

“…Um.”

“Yes?”

“…”

“…”

As soon as she started to speak, the immediate response made them both lose their words again.

This went on for a while.

“Pft-haha.”

Unable to hold back her laughter, Serpina giggled, making a sound like air escaping.

Dante also gave a wry smile and ran his hand down his face.

“We were super nervous, weren’t we?”

“Indeed.”

Still wearing a smile on her face, Serpina turned to look at Dante.

Wriggling and squirming like a worm, she approached, and Dante also rolled over to face Serpina.

At the closer distance, Serpina reached out and held Dante’s hand.

“You know. I remember everything from last night. It means I have no thoughts of denying it.”

“…That’s a relief to hear.”

Smooch.

Now there was nothing to be shy about.

Serpina lightly kissed Dante’s lips and grinned.

“If you turn your eyes to another woman now, it’s infidelity. Got it?”

“Don’t worry. I’ll only have eyes for you for a lifetime.”

Well. It would be nice if that were true.

Serpina closed her eyes, avoiding an answer.

“Get better soon. So I can hug you tightly while sleeping.”

“It’s fine to hug me now…”

“Tsk. You’ll get worse. And.”

And?

“…Now I want to do other things too. Something that, um, requires a healthier physical condition…”

With her voice growing smaller, Serpina pulled the blanket and hid her face.

Left alone outside the blanket, Dante blinked at the empty air.

Something that requires a healthier physical condition…

“What is that, Serpina?”

“…I don’t know.”

“I don’t know what that is, so can’t you explain it in detail?”

“I said I don’t know either.”

“Can’t you say it while looking at my face?”

“Look at this man. I thought he was a bear, but he’s a pure fox? Forget it. I don’t know! I won’t say it!”

The struggle that continued over the blanket ended only after Serpina slipped into sleep.

Dante quietly gazed at the sleeping Serpina.

Just looking at her made his heart race, and she was so precious.

To think that such a person likes me.

“…If it’s a dream, may it never end.”

Muttering a small wish, Dante carefully embraced Serpina.

Fear and joy intermingled, yet it was ultimately a peaceful night.