After I disposed of the only means he had to threaten me with alimony for the divorce settlement, Duke Bold was undoubtedly upset and at a loss. Moreover, now he couldn’t come to me immediately as before, and he must be seething inside even more.

“This guy is in trouble.”

I stood up from the chair with a wry smile on my lips.

“Lady Bianca, where are you going?”

“Hmm. The weather seems nice, so I’m going for a morning walk.”

“Shall I accompany you?”

I walked towards the door without answering Mina’s question, gently shaking my head.

“No. Today, I want to go alone.”

Arriving at the lobby on the first floor, I instinctively walked towards the reception room. And I glanced at the frame hanging on the wall.
It was the same frame where Vincent appeared the day before.

“I wonder if Vincent is doing well in the afterlife.”

After learning the secret behind the painting, it didn’t feel as unpleasant as before. Rather, knowing that there might be someone familiar on the other side made me feel a sense of warmth.

“Then, perhaps… Can I also enter this painting?”

As I absentmindedly reached out towards the painting…

“Do you wish to visit the demon realm again?”

A soft voice echoed through the spacious lobby.

Turning around, a familiar face came into view.

“Oh? Adrian?”

He walked towards me with a subtle smile as our eyes met.

Offering a friendly smile to Adrian, I raised my eyebrows.

“But… ‘again’?”

At that moment, the subtle smile on Adrian’s face slowly disappeared.

He showed a hint of surprise.

Gradually, an uncertain silence hung between us, and Adrian, after pursing his lips several times, slowly spoke.

“Really… You truly have no memory of that day?”

Adrian stared at my face in silence for a while.

“I thought you were pretending to have lost your memory because you couldn’t forgive me since that day. But now that I see…”

“…”

“You genuinely lost your memory.”

He lowered his head with a bitter expression.

It wasn’t until some time had passed that his violet eyes turned towards me again.

“Lady Bianca, would you like to accompany me to the sanctuary?”

Led by Adrian, we headed towards the light mansion, continuing to a pond in the backyard.

It was when we slowly walked while gazing at the morning sunlight shimmering on the water.

“We’ve arrived.”

Near the pond, Adrian stopped in front of a small rock.

He naturally made me sit on the rock and began to speak.

“Lady Bianca, you were sitting here at that time.”

“Weren’t we supposed to meet for the first time at the Dark Mansion?”

“Yes.”

He looked up at me with a puzzled expression.

“And that day, Lady Bianca, you were sadly crying.”

Rebecca was crying? I blinked slowly at Adrian.

“Later, I found out that it was the day of the Duke and Lady Bianca’s wedding. However, the Duke had to urgently leave for the demon realm, leaving Lady Bianca alone, who seemed very heartbroken.”

Adrian bit his lower lip slightly after saying that.

“After that day, Lady Bianca secretly followed the Duke to the demon realm. I don’t know what happened there, but…”

“…”

“When the Duke embraced you and returned, you were already unconscious.”

Adrian closed his eyes as if the memories of that day were surfacing.

“And since that day, the Duke, suspecting Lady Bianca throughout their married life, began to treat her coldly.”

Was it not just Rebecca’s obsession, but something happened on that night?
Not knowing Rebecca’s story, I blinked in surprise. Adrian’s expression, observing me, became bitterly subdued.

“In the end, that day’s events led you two here.”

Having said that, he slowly knelt before me.

“Adrian, what are you doing?”

“On that day, I was the one who helped Lady Bianca go to the demon realm.”

Adrian looked at me with guilty violet eyes.

“It was challenging to witness Lady Bianca, who was crying sadly. So, on that day, I made a choice that I should not have made.”

“…”

“…I ruined Lady Bianca’s happiness.”

Desperately, I looked at him with a raised head.

“Adrian, it’s not like that…”

“You two eventually decided to get divorced.”

My surprised eyes widened involuntarily.

How could he…?

I tried to deny it hastily, but my mouth shut on its own soon after.

I don’t know how much he knows, but Adrian already had a confident look.

“…It seems pointless to lie.”

Looking at Adrian, I slowly opened my mouth.

“I don’t know how you found out, but please keep it a secret for now.”

“…Of course, if Lady Bianca wishes.”

Adrian nodded slowly with a bitter expression.

“And you don’t need to feel too guilty. Anyway, this divorce was my choice.”

I lightly tapped Adrian’s shoulder.

Then, deliberately putting on a carefree expression, I stood up.

“Even if the current situation resulted from that day…”

“…”

“It doesn’t matter to me now.”

Smiling faintly, I extended my hand to Adrian.

For a moment, he hesitated, then he gently took my hand and slowly stood up.

“A few months later, I will leave this place. By then, I plan to forget all the memories here and live freely.”

I raised the corner of my mouth refreshingly.

“So, please take care until then, Adrian.”

Although Adrian’s face remained somewhat dark, he seemed more at ease than before.

Following my bright smile directed towards him, a subtle curve appeared at the corner of his mouth.

“…Lady Bianca.”

He hesitated for a moment, then opened his mouth again after moistening his lips.

“I’m well aware that such a proposal is shameless. But on the day you leave this castle…”

Adrian’s violet eyes, pausing for a moment, flickered towards me.

“Can you give me a chance to stand by Lady Bianca’s side?”