After having dinner with Seyerd that day, I took a light stroll in the garden and returned to the Banspelt mansion.

During those few hours, Kisa opened and closed her lips meaninglessly dozens of times.

The story of Daniel seeking her out earlier in the day, even blocking the carriage, came up to her throat and went back down.

It wasn’t like this when Daniel first came to the Banspelt estate unannounced and mentioned Seyerd’s past.

Kisa told Seyerd everything Daniel had said during their meeting right after that.

Although she had some concerns, she thought Seyerd ought to know about it.

Kisa thought he should know that Daniel was investigating her background this time as well.

Even if it posed only as much threat to him as a mosquito’s buzzing, it wouldn’t hurt to know in advance.

However, contrary to such rational judgment, her mouth couldn’t even utter the ‘D’ of Daniel.

The conversation they had just before Daniel left the carriage invaded her mind.

Kisa, who had received a suggestion from him to meet and talk with a monk, asked in surprise.

“You! Did you even bother the monks? No matter how unsatisfactory the answers from the Bonzmos people were, those who are in training…”

“I only asked one person I happened to meet. It wasn’t easy to approach. They’re very wary.”

“Then how am I supposed to ask?”

“You’re different from me. You’re none other than Duke Hillan’s fiancée. It’s not just Bonzmos where that man has poured in massive donations. That monastery too. Moreover, unlike me who looks suspicious, it’s not strange at all for you to ask about Duke Hillan. It’s perfectly natural to be concerned about the reputation of the man you’re going to marry, isn’t it?”

Kisa closed her mouth.

“Kisa, don’t you think you should hear from those who have spent the most time with him? He might have lived revealing his true nature in the monastery where he always stays, unlike the village he occasionally visits.”

“…”

“You say I’m obsessing because of my pride, well, maybe what you say is true. But this much is certain.”

It was truly a tone full of conviction.

“Seyerd Hillan definitely has something fishy about him. So investigating him will be saving you. You shouldn’t marry him.”

After asserting this, Daniel opened the carriage door and went outside.

Left alone, Kisa had to ruminate on his words in the carriage heading towards the Hillan mansion.

She wanted to dismiss it as nonsense, but somehow she couldn’t.

Because of that, even while dining and walking with Seyerd after arriving at the destination, she couldn’t fully concentrate on it.

She couldn’t understand why.

“…”

No, actually she knew.

Late at night, still unable to sleep and sitting blankly in front of her desk for a long time, Kisa finally admitted her honest feelings.

She already knew. The reason why she couldn’t dismiss Daniel’s words as nonsense, and why she decided to listen to Daniel who had climbed into the carriage at will instead of chasing him away in the first place.

It was because of the suspicion towards Seyerd that had taken root in a corner of Kisa’s heart.

That suspicion, which had grown significantly compared to Daniel’s previous visit, prevented Kisa from speaking honestly about anything to Seyerd.

But it was confusing because that didn’t mean she distrusted Seyerd.

If she had distrusted him, she wouldn’t have visited the Hillan mansion today or spent time with him.

But the fact that she couldn’t confidently answer if asked whether she completely trusted him was uncomfortable.

Other faces overlapped with the gentle face that had said he couldn’t wake the soundly sleeping Kisa.

He who had stated he gave a bracelet as a gift because Kisa disliked accessories.

He who had asked why they should save Gabriel who was being assaulted by Princess Arta.

He who had shown an expression never seen before when the princess mentioned his dead brother.

All those Seyerds gave off a feeling different from the one she had seen so far, instilling a subtle fear in Kisa’s heart.

Moreover, the words left by the princess who had visited the mansion recklessly to find Gabriel:

“Be careful of your fiancé. He might be a wolf in sheep’s clothing, or even something worse.”

“And what else is there? Oh, you say it was a coincidence that he was recruited? Let me ask one thing. Was it Kisa’s own will to go to the Darion ducal family’s concert? Didn’t someone suggest going together first?”

“Anyone who tries to find out would know that your hobby is playing the violin. How likely is it that you wouldn’t like Gabriel’s performance, who has innate talent?”

To be honest, Kisa still thought it was the princess’s speculation.

It didn’t seem likely that Seyerd would go to such trouble to take revenge on the princess for her sake.

However, strangely, those words persistently remained in Kisa’s mind, fueling doubt.

As she said, it was Seyerd who first suggested going when they were invited to the concert held at the Darion ducal family.

And while it’s true that Kisa had taken note of Gabriel’s performance, she hadn’t asked Seyerd first to invite him to the engagement party.

She had just assumed later when she found out that Seyerd had recruited him, that he had done it for her, and was touched.

She wanted to trust Seyerd. She trusted him about seventy percent. But these few facts planted a thirty percent ‘what if?’ in her mind.

“Seyerd…”

Kisa’s grateful benefactor, currently the only person she could call a friend, a companion she had agreed to walk the same path with for at least the next two years.

At the same time, a man who seemed to be hiding something from her.

Haa, thinking about him made Kisa’s chest feel tight, and she let out a big sigh.

Of course, that didn’t solve her worries, so the tightness only increased.

In the quiet surroundings, Kisa quietly muttered to herself.

“It’s natural to have secrets, actually.”

Every human being has their own secrets.

Even Kisa, who tends to be relatively honest about her feelings to Seyerd, has several things she doesn’t bother to mention.

That wasn’t particularly bad behavior either.

Therefore, even if some suspicions arise about Seyerd, even if there are points that don’t make sense, it might be polite and wise to just leave it be.

Even real couples and married couples have secrets, and Kisa and Seyerd were a fake couple bound by contract.

It might be nonsensical to dig into something hidden from the other party.

Moreover, strictly speaking, none of the suspicions about Seyerd so far suggested the possibility that he could be a terrible villain as Daniel fantasized.

If so, it might be best to put aside unnecessary doubts and quietly maintain the current friendly relationship.

In any case, unless he was a serious criminal, Kisa couldn’t hastily break up with him.

Not only would Count Banspelt not approve of a second broken engagement, but even if he did, Kisa was likely to become Daniel’s partner again.

Considering all these circumstances, it would be the right choice to put aside unnecessary thoughts and leave Seyerd’s secrets as secrets.

“But…”

Strangely, Kisa couldn’t give such a simple answer.

In her heart, there was a hope to completely trust Seyerd and a curiosity to know what his secrets were.

Both stemmed from a desire for a more sincere relationship with Seyerd than now.

‘What should I really do?’

The night of worry deepened.

Kisa’s worries were not just a matter of a day or two.

It was only after secretly agonizing for over a week that she reached a certain conclusion.

And now, she was at the Hillan mansion to fasten the first button of the plan she had arrived at.

“By the way, I have something to tell you.”

“Yes, please speak.”

Kisa, who had come to play at the mansion as usual and was facing Seyerd across the table, tried to appear as natural as possible as she opened her mouth.

“How about we go to St. Favela Monastery together sometime soon?”

Feeling Seyerd’s gaze, she forced a bright smile.

“I’ve been curious about what kind of place it is for a long time, and I’d like to go before we get busy with wedding preparations.”

This was the final conclusion Kisa had reached.

She wanted to meet the people who had spent the most time with Seyerd. But she didn’t want to meet them secretly behind his back.

Then the remaining option was to visit the place together with Seyerd.

“Moreover, I found out that St. Favela Monastery is open to the public only for a few days a year, and that happens to be in a few days. I thought when would we have such an opportunity again, so I’m bringing it up.”

There was no change in Seyerd’s expression. But strangely, Kisa’s heart was pounding wildly.

“What do you think, Seyerd? Can we go together?”

To that cautious question, Seyerd was silent for a moment as if considering.

I’m not sure exactly how long it was, but it felt endlessly long to Kisa.

After a while, he answered with a faint smile.

“That might be a bit difficult, Kisa.”