Seierd pulled Kisa into his arms, holding her tightly.

Then, with a slightly trembling voice, he whispered in Kisa’s ear.

“I’m delighted that you love me too. Truly delighted.”

Perhaps he was overwhelmed with emotion. It was unlike his usual composed demeanor in any situation.

“I promise. I will surely make you happy, Kisa.”

I have already received more than I deserve from you. That was what Kisa wanted to say in response.

However, before Kisa could even open her mouth, Seierd continued.

“So for now, let’s just think about our feelings.”

Only our feelings. Those were magical words.

Because of those words, the various things that had shadowed Kisa’s heart disappeared like melting snow on a spring day.

The sense of indebtedness towards Seierd, the vague anxiety about the future. And the worries that had bothered her for the past few days… Let’s set them all aside for now.

Right now, she just wanted to surrender herself to this sweet emotion swelling abundantly, just as he said.

Feeling his firm arms around her waist, Kisa answered in a tiny voice after a long while. Yes, she said.

“Miss.”

“……”

“Miss?”

“……”

“Miss!”

Startled by the loud voice ringing in her ears, Kisa looked at her nursemaid with rabbit-like eyes.

“What is it, Nursemaid?”

The nursemaid, who was wiping the window frame, tilted her head suspiciously at Kisa sitting at the desk.

“You haven’t been listening to me for a while, have you?”

“Oh, yeah. I was lost in thought for a bit.”

The nursemaid’s eyes narrowed, holding a wet rag.

“Miss, you seem particularly absentminded today, you know? Did something happen yesterday? Ah, come to think of it, you visited the Hillan ducal residence. Then, related to the duke-.”

Afraid that strange words might come out, Kisa hurriedly waved her hand.

“Nothing happened. Rather, if you have something to say, tell me that.”

The nursemaid readily changed the subject, as it wasn’t a strong suspicion.

“This bag you took out yesterday. Should I clean it up for you?”

As soon as she saw the bag in the nursemaid’s hand, Kisa sprang up and snatched it.

“It’s fine. I’ll clean it up.”

“No, are you hiding some treasure trove in there?”

“Hiding what. It’s just… I feel a bit sorry for always leaving things to you, Nursemaid.”

After glancing at Kisa and the handbag alternately for a moment, the nursemaid soon grinned like a prankster.

“I see. You must have received a great gift from the duke yesterday.”

“What?”

“It’s a bit disappointing that you don’t want to show even me what it is, but I’ll understand. You’re at the age for that, Miss. I also had many unnecessary secrets when I was your age. Especially regarding romance.”

Kisa vaguely affirmed the nursemaid’s words, thinking it was better to let the misunderstanding be.

“Ah, well. That’s right.”

“My, my, how much private time did you spend with the duke yesterday that you’re so out of it from the morning?”

… For the record, this was actually true.

“Anyway, I’m happy that you’re so delighted, Miss. You look much happier than when you liked Young Master Daniel.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, it’s evident to my eyes, having attended to you for a long time.”

“Back then, you acted like the world was ending if you couldn’t marry that guy.”

At Kisa’s grumbling, the nursemaid responded in a tone of excuse.

“W-well, that’s because I didn’t know someone like Duke Hillan would appear back then. I never imagined you would marry someone as perfect as a prince on a white horse from a fairy tale, Miss.”

“Someone perfect, you say.”

“Ignorant folks may evaluate him as extravagant and impulsive, but he’s close to perfect. How can a person be flawless from head to toe?”

“……”

“Ah, right! What am I doing? I forgot to pick up the laundry I left at the laundry room. Miss, then I’ll see you later!”

Saying so, the nursemaid hurriedly left Kisa’s room.

Kisa was lost in thought for a moment, then looked down at the handbag she was holding.

She carefully opened the handbag and took out the leather notebook that had been sleeping at the very bottom.

It was the item she had intended to give to Seierd yesterday but ended up not even making its existence known due to his sudden love confession.

While thinking how she could have forgotten this important thing, it also seemed understandable when she recalled her memory.

As the nursemaid speculated, Kisa had been half out of it since last night until now because of the time she spent with Seierd yesterday.

‘The person I love loves me back.’

It was a strange sensation, as if her body was floating in the air.

In Kisa’s life of just over twenty years, love had always been an unrequited emotion, but that changed as of yesterday.

Someone as close to perfect as Seierd, not anyone else, told her that he loved her.

As such, Kisa didn’t want to ruin this fulfilling happiness she felt now.

“… Next time.”

After glaring at his diary for a long time as if having a staring contest, she made a decision.

She would hand over the notebook to Seierd the next time she had a suitable opportunity.

They had just confirmed their feelings for each other, so was there a need to make their relationship awkward by bringing this up?

No matter how much it contained records of his difficult childhood days, it didn’t seem likely that an item with such raw hatred would evoke good feelings in him.

Moreover, it was an embarrassing thing, but Kisa had checked its contents, hadn’t she?

Lying that she hadn’t read it was simple.

However, Kisa didn’t want to tell him a lie and wasn’t confident in deceiving him, who was perceptive.

So, next time. Let’s return it to Seierd when the right time comes.

Even though she clearly knew it was an escape, Kisa decided to keep the evidence of sin that an old priest had given her for the time being.

Now that she had made up her mind, she had to put it into action.

‘I can’t let the nursemaid or other servants see it.’

They frequently touched every corner of Kisa’s room. Except for one place.

Kisa went to the dressing table and opened the bottom drawer.

Then, the appearance of a wooden jewelry box with gorgeous engraved flower patterns was revealed.

As she fiddled with the lock on the lid a few times, it unlocked within a few seconds.

Contrary to its original purpose, it contained more items that weren’t as valuable as jewelry.

In the first place, Kisa’s real jewelry box was separately placed on top of the dressing table.

In other words, it also meant that this jewelry box had relatively less worry of being stolen.

Most of the servants who entered Kisa’s room knew that she kept her jewelry in the box on top of the dressing table.

This was an item she had received as a gift a few years ago, and while she had no use for it, it was too precious to throw away, so she had stuffed it in the drawer she opened the least.

However, at some point, Kisa started using this jewelry box for the purpose of hiding a slightly different type of item.

The contents were things that weren’t valuable in terms of price but were things she didn’t want others to see, like her diary or letters left by her late mother to her daughter.

In other words, there was no better place in Kisa’s room to hide the leather notebook than this.

Kisa placed Seierd’s childhood diary next to her own diary and was about to close the lid.

But then, something caught her eye.

The most recently added item among these – the marriage contract with Seierd.

“I guess it’s not needed anymore.”

Kisa muttered, holding the contract rolled up in her hand.

Now that the two of them genuinely loved each other, she wondered if the contract that had forced their relationship would be useless.

Even after the two-year contract period ended, Kisa had no intention of leaving his side.

“Still, there’s no need to deliberately dispose of it.”

After all, isn’t it a precious memory shared with Seierd?

Even now, when she closed her eyes, she vividly remembered the time when they had put their heads together and decided on the wording to be written in the contract.

Kisa put it back in the jewelry box, closed the lid, and locked it.

Two days later, Kisa went out for a date with Seierd.

It had been quite a while since their last date, as Kisa had visited Bonesmoth and Seierd had been to his estate.

Moreover, it was their first date after confirming their feelings for each other.

In a way, this could be considered a date in the true sense.

Perhaps because of that, throughout the date, Kisa felt excited but also a sense of nervousness.

It was strange. They had merely dined at an atmospheric restaurant and strolled around the shopping district as usual, but her heart was oddly fluttering.

“Kisa, how does it taste?”

“It’s g-g-good.”

When Seierd asked with a charming smile, even her answering voice trembled.

“I’m glad to hear that.”

Seeing him just smiling at her despite her unsightly appearance, Kisa hung her head low.

She never imagined that dating a beloved partner would be such a heart-fluttering experience, exceeding her expectations.

However, the thrilling time didn’t last long.

“I’m truly sorry, but I must leave now. His Majesty the King is looking for me.”

Although he couldn’t stop their marriage, it seemed the king still looked at Seierd unfavorably for refusing to marry his youngest daughter.

“It’s alright. It can’t be helped.”

Kisa answered brightly, trying to hide her disappointment.

“Shall I drop you off at the Vanspert estate on my way to the palace?”

“That’s fine too. I can call our family’s carriage here. And since I’m out in the bustling streets for a change, I want to look around.”

“I understand. I’ll inform the Vanspert family.”

After answering so, Seierd left a guard force to accompany Kisa and departed.

Afterwards, Kisa strolled the streets as she had told him.

“Oh my, fancy meeting you here.”

Then she encountered an unexpected person.

“We meet for the second time. Lady Vanspert.”

Madam Oswana.

“I saw your fiancé courting a certain widow.”

The person who had told Kisa the truth a long time ago.