“I was just walking in the hallway for a bit. It was too late to go outside, so…”

“Do you think you’ll be able to sleep?”

Magnolia shook her head.

“What do you usually do when you can’t sleep?”

“Sometimes I drink warm tea.”

“Hmm, the servants are probably all asleep by now.”

Should I wake them up?

“I think hugging this doll might help.”

“A doll?”

Magnolia’s face turned even redder.

She didn’t seem old enough to sleep hugging a doll, but Magnolia was a cuter woman than expected.

“What kind of doll would work? It would need to be big enough to hug.”

Veronica recalled her own dolls, gifts from Harry that she had put away long ago. Where were they all now?

“It doesn’t have to be a doll…”

“Then what?”

What could replace a doll? At the follow-up question, Magnolia rolled her eyes around.

Seeing how she couldn’t meet her gaze, Veronica realized what Magnolia meant by ‘instead of a doll’. She’s more childish than I thought.

After staring at her clasping her hands and looking down at the floor, Veronica nodded towards the room.

“Would you like to come in?”

At those words, Magnolia’s face lit up. She followed Veronica inside with quick steps.

Veronica climbed onto the bed and handed Magnolia a pillow. She quickly took it and buried her face in it.

“Let me know if you need a doll. I’ll look for one.”

“Thank you.”

“Go to sleep now.”

“Aren’t you going to sleep, Miss Hardness?”

“I’m planning to read a bit more before sleeping.”

She showed the book she had been reading. Magnolia looked up at Veronica while lying on her side.

Then she chuckled. For someone who couldn’t sleep, she had seemed in a good mood since earlier.

“I’m so happy to be sleeping with Miss Hardness.”

“You find joy in the strangest things.”

“What book are you reading? Is it interesting?”

“Let’s go to sleep now.”

“Can’t we chat a bit more before sleeping?”

“If you keep interrupting, I’ll kick you out.”

“Okay.”

She replied glumly and closed her eyes. Veronica focused on her book again. For a while, silence seemed to descend upon the bedroom.

“I wish we could stay like this forever.”

Magnolia whispered softly, rubbing one cheek against the pillow.

Veronica could sense the hidden anxiety in her drowsy voice. Still keeping her eyes on the book, Veronica opened her mouth.

“What does Miss Liening want to do now?”

“…I’m not sure.”

“Don’t you have anywhere else to go? Someone who could help you?”

“Not really…”

Magnolia’s voice trailed off. Come to think of it, why didn’t she seek help elsewhere and come straight to the Hardness house?

She seemed to have many friends when I saw her before. Well, I suppose this isn’t something you can easily talk about just anywhere.

“You know you can’t stay like this forever, right?”

“Yes…”

“Take this opportunity to think about what you want to do from now on. You’ll have to break off the engagement, but after that, what do you want to do? How do you want to live? Something like a life plan.”

“…Would it be too childish to say I want to find new love?”

“That’s not a bad idea.”

After all, wounds from love are best healed by new love.

If she wanted to soothe her heart by meeting a new man, that wouldn’t be a bad choice either.

“It’s your life. No matter what others say, Miss Liening’s feelings are the most important. Do what you want to do this time. It’s better than ruining your life by meeting the wrong man. Whatever you choose, it can’t be worse than getting married now.”

“Miss Hardness seems like a good person.”

Veronica’s voice cut off at the sudden remark. Her hand paused in turning the page. Magnolia smiled faintly.

“You don’t show it, but I’m actually uncomfortable, right? We’re not even that close, but you took me in when I came barging in. You gave me a room, made sure I was comfortable, and even let me sleep with you like this. You’re really a good person.”

“Just for that?”

“Yes. Because… people are more interested in what’s around me than in me.”

Sleepiness seeped into her gradually slowing voice. Magnolia blinked her eyes.

Her eyelids moved sluggishly, as if she would fall asleep at any moment. Magnolia mumbled softly.

“That can’t be true.”

A heavy voice was heard.

In her blurring vision, she caught sight of a firm profile.

The woman, bathed in the gentle moonlight, was as beautiful as a night fairy.

That profile revealed Veronica’s cold nature, but to Magnolia’s eyes, she somehow looked lonely.

Veronica turned her face towards Magnolia. In her vision, already half-claimed by sleep, only the straight line of her lips was visible. She seemed to be smiling.

“Miss Liening, it seems you have no eye for people.”

“That’s mean…”

“Next time, meet a truly good man. Not someone who only gives you happiness when you accommodate them, but someone who makes you happy just by being together.”

Really, I’ve never met anyone as unfortunate as myself.

Somehow, it was a hollow and incomprehensible statement.

Suddenly, she wondered what expression Veronica was making now, but sleep took precedence. Magnolia soon drifted off into a dream.

To entertain the bored Magnolia, I took her to the hill behind the mansion.

We spent time there admiring the grass, trees, and the red flowers blooming on the honeysuckle vines climbing the iron fence.

Throughout the walk, Magnolia seemed to be enjoying herself, her laughter never ceasing.

The cool breeze tousled her hair and made her skirt flutter, but even that made her laugh with delight.

As we were returning from our simple walk, we saw an unfamiliar carriage and a young man standing in front of the mansion.

I thought it might be a guest for my father, but suddenly Magnolia startled and hid behind Veronica’s back.

Veronica turned to look at her quizzically.

“Magnolia.”

Then a familiar name flowed from the front. Veronica looked at the man in front of her and then back at Magnolia.

Anxiety flitted across Magnolia’s face. There was no need to ask who the man in front of them was.

“You won’t even show your face when I’ve come?”

“…Lord Bray.”

As expected, that man was Magnolia’s ‘fiancé’ who was about to marry her. Veronica stared at the man with the gentle impression.

“What if you really left when the Duke told you to leave? I was worried. I’m relieved to see your face like this.”

She ran away, but was she actually kicked out? At this unexpected truth, Veronica glanced at Magnolia again.

She felt the strength in the hand gripping her collar.

“Le-let’s go back. I said I won’t ma-marry you.”

“There you go again with that talk.”

Bray approached, ignoring what he had heard. Magnolia flinched and stepped back.

As Bray paused for a moment and then approached again, she retreated once more.

Veronica was caught between the two people retreating step by step.

Bray’s gaze finally fixed on Veronica.

“And who might this be?”

“Who do you think?”

“Pardon?”

“You should introduce yourself before asking for someone else’s name.”

It was as if she was pointing out his lack of manners. However, the face before him was so impassive that it might have been a misunderstanding.

Bray, as if apologizing for his belated courtesy, smiled and placed one hand on his chest.

“Forgive my rudeness. I am Bray of Collega.”

“I am Veronica Hardness.”

“Ah, the young lady of the Hardness Duke family.”

Bray greeted her with friendly recognition. His beaming face was filled with greed.

“I had no idea that the Hardness Duke’s daughter was acquainted with my fiancée.”

“Thanks to you.”

“Pardon?”

“What brings you here?”

At the sudden change of topic, Bray’s confused face relaxed.

His gaze returned to the pink hair peeking out from behind Veronica’s shoulder, and he smiled.

“Naturally, I’ve come to take my fiancée back.”

At those words, Magnolia shrank even more.

“Magnolia. Your mother is very worried. Come back to the family with me.”

“No!”

“Magnolia.”

“Do-don’t call me so casually! I won’t go back unless we break off the engagement, so you should just go!”

“How can you say such things?”

On the surface, it sounded like he was hurt, but to Veronica’s ears, it sounded like he was rebuking her for saying nonsense.

Bray tried to approach again. Magnolia shook her head vigorously.

That sensation transmitted to Veronica through her back. Veronica opened her mouth.

“Don’t come any closer.”

“But my fiancée-”

“How uncivilized of you to try and forcibly take away a fiancée who doesn’t want to go.”

“Miss Hardness.”

Bray showed signs of displeasure. Veronica, unfazed, continued to provoke him.

“Rather than clinging to a fiancée whose heart has left you, why don’t you go learn some manners? That seems like it would be a more valuable use of your time.”

“What do you mean by ‘you’? I introduced myself properly. Miss Hardness, you’re the one being truly uncivilized.”

“Why should I show courtesy? Collega? It’s a family name I’ve never heard before. Well, I suppose I don’t need to know about every insignificant place. Don’t make the mistake of thinking we’re on the same level just because we’re on the same land. It’s unpleasant.”

“Now listen here, Miss Hardness!”

“My, surely you’re not trying to say that you’re on the same level as me? The only daughter of the Hardness Duke family, who enjoys the great trust of His Majesty, and the future Crown Princess.”

“…”

Even Bray couldn’t refute that. Veronica smiled faintly.

It was a gentle face that didn’t seem like it belonged to someone who had just insulted someone to their face.

With such a pretty face casually shredding someone’s heart, Bray realized she was not a woman to be taken lightly.

“Then since Magnolia is not on your level either, please stay out of our business. She is my fiancée.”

“Badmouthing your own fiancée, I can see why Miss Liening decided to break off the engagement.”

“…”

“And Miss Liening is different from the likes of you. She’s my guest.”

Veronica stepped forward, tightly hiding Magnolia behind her with one arm. She could feel a bewildered gaze from behind.

“So you won’t be able to take my guest away from my mansion as you please.”

Veronica nodded to a soldier who was observing the situation. Other soldiers then began to gather around Bray.