“What love? The Captain blindly liked Lord Warden. Even this morning, regret was dripping…”

What liking! Sidney unintentionally interrupted with a cough.

“Ahem! It’s not like that.”

“Yes, it’s not. I’m very disappointed in the Captain too. Even if a bit childish and simple, Lord Asner would be much more…”

This guy, really. Sidney snorted, shifting weight to one leg.

“After the Captain, now Walter too. Why don’t you include yourself?”

Andy Spencer’s face instantly turned bright red as he covered it with both hands, severely stuttering his words.

“S-someone like me, how could I dare… Someone as noble and beautiful as Lord Warden…”

So you knew after all. Sidney raised a hand to stop Andy’s words.

The sudden silence made the ticking of the clock grow louder. Before long, it had invaded her thoughts, cutting them off abruptly.

Right, this isn’t something to think about. Sidney slowly exhaled and asked directly.

“Since when did you know?”

“Not ‘somehow’, but from the beginning.”

Even without a direct object, Andy Spencer answered immediately with confident eyes. As if he had been waiting for it.

If from the beginning, he means when they visited the Spencer family. There’s no way he could have hidden it until now only to be caught so carelessly.

Sidney tapped her forearm with her index finger, then tilted her head sideways.

“You intentionally brought up the royal banquet story. And the stories about the Captain and Walter too.”

“Yes, to naturally reveal that I knew Lord Warden’s secret. Did I fail?”

What’s there to be pleased about. Sidney couldn’t help but sigh at Andy’s bright response.

“The reason you put in so much effort is…”

“To be involved until the end, without turning back. And…”

Andy Spencer, who had been speaking with sparkling eyes, hesitated to continue.

It was a funny thing. The Asnel Empire law that made her a criminal, created by the Spencer family, had been concealing her crime.

Even if one could understand that far, to say he wants to be involved? And this coming from Andy Spencer, the head of the Spencer family.

What could be left that’s making him hesitate like this? Sidney raised her chin and urged for an answer.

“And?”

Andy Spencer grabbed his nape and looked down. After stalling a bit more, he continued in a voice that seemed forced out.

“I hoped Lord Warden wouldn’t attend the royal banquet…”

Was he worried? That I might get hurt by Logan Redford’s marriage announcement?

An inexplicable unpleasantness made her throat feel dry. Perhaps because of this, her voice sounded hoarse and cracked, unfamiliar.

“I won’t be uncomfortable about the Captain marrying another woman.”

“But you’ve been avoiding the Captain recently.”

“That’s for a different reason.”

No need to mention it further. Sidney cut it off sharply, like swinging a sword.

Still, Andy Spencer seemed to have some tact as he awkwardly smiled and changed the subject.

“I see. Anyway, I’m part of the team now, right?”

“When were you not?”

Well then, good work. After adding that softly, she picked up the prepared document envelope and left the office.

Despite it being time to leave work, the corridor was unusually quiet today.

It seems everyone is working late to attend tomorrow’s royal banquet. Just as Sidney had done for the past three days.

“I was about to send Milo, but you came early.”

“Did something happen?”

Sidney stared at the maid Liz while unfastening the sword at her waist.

“The Marquis sent a carriage. Probably meaning to prepare properly for the royal banquet at the main house.”

“At the main house?”

“Yes, Lady Lind took Lady Marien’s dress for tomorrow during the day.”

It seems I’ll have to stay at the main house tonight, but don’t they usually mention these things in advance?

Sidney suppressed her dissatisfaction and washed her hands and face in the prepared basin. Even after wiping off the water with a white towel, she still felt uneasy.

“It’s too sudden… Does the Captain know too?”

“Yes, Lord Logan will go straight to the main house after work. So… shall we change into the dress?”

As if I could refuse that. Sidney swallowed the question lingering on her lips and touched her earring artifact.

The mirror she looked into absent-mindedly.

The red hair covering her shoulders gradually turned golden, and her cool green eyes changed to a clear sky blue.

Her sharp upturned eyes drooped slightly, giving a kind gaze, her cheekbones rose appropriately, hiding her high cheekbones, and her striking features became more delicate, softening her somewhat fierce atmosphere.

“The atmosphere really changes completely.”

“Does it?”

An artifact that changes appearance based on imagination. This face, the result of it – which is it, longing or resentment?

Sidney lowered her eyes and lightly tapped the earring four times.

Like a shy flower bud blooming, the features of the delicate face blurred as the face recognition disorder function activated.

So that no one could clearly remember this face, not even herself.

“Yes, while Lord Warden gives trust with a strong and upright character as a knight, Lady Marien captivates people with a mysterious atmosphere that seems to disappear at any moment.”

That gap is truly mysterious.

Liz’s whisper, soft as a gentle breeze, tickled her ear.

In the mirror, Liz tied up the bodice and skirt with strings from inside the dress instead of the heavy watteau pleats and pannier.

Just like Victoria Owello’s maid Sarah had done.

“You’re beautiful.”

“Thank you.”

With the simple purple dress and white fur coat connected to the skirt, the preparations were complete.

“Lady Marien, you can use this room.”

“Thank you, Lady Lind.”

“Then, unpack and come down to the dining room.”

She slowly closed and opened her eyes in acknowledgment and looked around the room.

The room she used in Mayfield’s apartment was really nice too, but this space with the unique heaviness and antique style of a mansion was incomparable in size and every piece of furniture.

Sidney approached the fireplace with slow steps, taking off her leather gloves.

On the shelf above the fireplace, instead of framed portraits like in the Longbeach villa, a table clock showed 7:26.

Next to it were a beautiful box that looked like a music box and clumsily carved wooden figurines.

Sidney stared intently at a wooden figurine on all fours and asked.

“Is this… a lion?”

“Hmm, it looks like the hunting dog Lord Logan had when he was young.”

“Perhaps, did the Captain make this himself?”

“Yes, isn’t it amazing?”

Oh dear, I don’t mean to mock. Sidney gently touched a wooden sculpture that looked like a snowman and chuckled.

“To think the Captain has a weak area too. It’s certainly amazing.”

Maid Liz glanced at the servants carrying luggage and moved closer. Then, as if telling a secret, she lowered her voice and covered her mouth.

“Lady Marien, that’s the Marquis’ work.”

“Ah.”

To think that the seemingly gruff Marquis Douglas Redford would carve wood for his grandson. With skills far inferior to his grandson’s at that.

Strange. Don’t people usually hide such failures? Surely this can’t be the best work?

Sidney’s suspicions continued even during dinner.

“It seems the food doesn’t suit your taste.”

“No, it’s delicious.”

“Hmm, then is that guy troubling you?”

She looked up while cutting the well-cooked lamb.

As their eyes met, Marquis Redford lowered his raised eyebrow and slightly lifted one corner of his mouth.

Sidney drew an appropriate line at his mischievous look that seemed to say ‘I knew it’.

“There’s no such thing.”

“They say men are so dense you have to point it out directly for them to understand. Especially those who live off their own conceit.”

“…”

It sounds like he’s talking about himself, but who would have the courage to give such solid advice to the great Marquis Redford?

Perhaps feeling a bit guilty, Marquis Redford frowned slightly and added.

“I’m not talking about myself.”

“I see.”

Sidney swallowed the laughter trying to escape between her lips with a cool drink of water.

After that, silence fell again, but they were able to finish the meal in a much more relaxed atmosphere.

“Do you enjoy chess by any chance?”

Suddenly, why chess? Sidney glanced at Marquis Redford walking beside her and politely declined.

“I don’t particularly enjoy it.”

“Oh, so you know how to play chess.”

“I only know the basic rules.”

She expressed her refusal once again, but it was useless.

“Well, that’s enough. Hmm, you can learn as we play.”

Only after sitting across from Marquis Redford at the chess board did she realize. No matter what she said, it would have ended up like this.

“You go first.”

After losing three games in a row in the chess that started like this, a competitive spirit Sidney didn’t know she had welled up.

Marquis Redford moved his pawn forward following Sidney and chuckled.

“Now you want to win?”

“You speak as if you won for my sake.”

“That doesn’t mean I’ll lose on purpose.”

Sidney, who had captured Marquis Redford’s knight with her bishop, said triumphantly.

“Yes, I wouldn’t want that either.”

But that was short-lived, as Marquis Redford’s bishop and queen took down Sidney’s pieces one by one, and finally.

“Checkmate.”

This game too ended with Marquis Redford’s hearty laughter.

Just once. As Sidney quickly set up the pieces again, Marquis Redford provoked with a guffaw.

“Want to lose again?”

“I want to learn more.”

Of course I’ll lose since there’s a skill difference.

But Marquis Redford is human too, so he could make mistakes. If I endure well aiming for that moment, I might win once.

As I build up skills like that, that one time could become two times, and three times.

Sidney moved her pieces carefully, recalling how Marquis Redford had done it.

Unlike before, as a tense atmosphere flowed, Marquis Redford suddenly threw out a question.

“Do you know why I allowed this marriage?”