These lips of yours that keep pulling my lips. Your breath touching my ears.

I want to confirm you more. Deeper, I want to feel you.

But I stopped.

I wanted to say I love you. I had to say it.

I wanted to convey that my actions, my movements right now are because I love you.

I stopped the kiss and looked at her.

‘Even though I tried to avoid it so much…… in the end.’

It was an irresistible attraction.

I embraced her lips again.

And.

What did I say?

I don’t remember.

But she froze. Sadness soaks into those sky-blue eyes. My heart sank.

I called you…… a butterfly.

Butterfly. Did I call you from my past life, or did I call the you in front of my eyes right now?

I don’t know, but one thing is for sure, that I love the you in front of my eyes. But it wasn’t you.

“That’s right. I told you it was a mistake. I am just His Majesty’s knight and assistant.”

Her last words at the execution ground in her previous life came to mind.

You asked me.

[Is it pity?]

I answered.

[It’s interest.] [I respected you.]

Is it still the same now?

Is it just respect? Is there no love…… within that respect?

Was that it? Was it just my feelings?

I couldn’t catch you going into the rain.

[This is the timeline separator]

In the dark stable, there were only sleeping horses.

I approached them, crouched down and sat. I hugged my knees and buried my face in them.

The tears wouldn’t stop.

I hurt you.

I was in so much pain that I cut his heart with a knife. I could feel his dissected heart behind my back.

“Sniff…… sob.”

I covered the escaping cries with both hands.

Greyni, who had woken up at some point, leaned his head against me as if asking why I was crying.

Your touch, your breath that was colliding with my heart is still so vivid.

Your traces that swallowed my cheeks, neck, ears, and lips are still so warm.

Why have I fallen into despair now?

Far away, the Duke’s black horse rises and looks at me. Towards that horse, I muttered like a fool.

“Your Majesty. I love you…… I love you.”

[This is the timeline separator]

The stable door opened and bright sunlight poured in. I, who opened my eyes to that light, raised my body that was sprawled on the hay.

“Esther, you slept here?”

“Yora.”

“Ugh…… sorry.”

Yora said I should rest more comfortably, and pulled me out.

He said that since the rain had stopped and most of the guests had left, several rooms became empty.

“…… Where is His Majesty the Duke?”

“When Commander Moby saw him sitting under the eaves of the barn, he escorted him to a room. Ah…… what do I do with this disloyalty.”

“Under the…… eaves of the barn?”

“Yes. On top of a hay pile. Without getting a wink of sleep. He’ll be sleeping now.”

“……”

“I’m so sorry.”

‘Yora, the one who should be sorry is me. Because I’m the one who made His Majesty like that.’

I’m the one who committed disloyalty.

“You didn’t sleep at all either? Your eyes are all swollen.”

I couldn’t make any reply. I had no energy.

Led to a small room, I collapsed on the bed as I was.

[This is the timeline separator]

When I opened my eyes, the sun was setting outside the window.

‘Ah……’

I hurriedly went out.

But I stopped at the corner of the stairs leading to the 1st floor. Because I heard the voice of Commander Moby.

‘Could His Majesty be with him?’

When my thoughts reached there, I couldn’t take a step.

“Oh my, this Moby wants to bury his nose in porridge out of apology.”

‘He’s here.’

“Please eat at least a little. The innkeeper is good at cooking at least.”

I hear Ergo’s voice too.

I couldn’t move.

Can I go down? Can I shamelessly show up? With what face should I see you?

That’s when it happened.

“Oh, Esther is here too!”

Yora ran towards me.

I resented myself for not being able to hide completely.

‘It can’t be helped. We’re destined to go together anyway.’

I don’t know for what reason you called me a white butterfly, but now I can no longer harbor disloyal feelings.

‘Forget it, last night. You can forget.’

With my head down, I went downstairs.

“Lady Esther! Couldn’t sleep a wink?”

“No.”

“Your eyes are very swollen though?!”

“Moby, it’s because you fell asleep so I fell asleep too.”

“Ergo, are you talking about others?!”

As the two seemed to be about to fight, I opened my mouth.

“No, I slept. It’s cold, maybe that’s why.”

“This is the inn’s specialty porridge, sit here and try some. If your insides get warm, your body will relax too.”

Moby sat me down right in front of the Duke.

Ah, of all places.

I really couldn’t lift my head now. But.

‘Esther, look at His Majesty. Take responsibility for what you did.’

I slowly raised my face and looked ahead.

The Duke was in front of my eyes.

My heart dropped into my stomach.

A face that had gotten rougher than yesterday, traces of dark stubble on a face that was always clean.

Ah……

But he didn’t look at me.

Without a word, he slowly scooped up the porridge and put it in his mouth.

I kept looking at him without knowing.

He opened his mouth.

“Moby, your porridge tastes better. This place is…… not good.”

The Duke put down his spoon and got up from his seat.

“Since everyone is up, let’s leave. It’ll take about half a day to get to Harras where we’re supposed to meet Arcadia, right?”

“Since he left later than us, we won’t be late even if we leave tomorrow. Please rest a little more.”

“While we rest, the enemies do not rest. Commander Moby, have you forgotten the oath we made in the North.”

“How could I, Your Majesty. But if your body is harmed……”

“What reason is there for that? It’s just one night.”

‘Just one night.’

Just.

My heart ached as if it was splitting.

“If you all are still tired, then let’s leave early tomorrow morning.”

The Duke left his seat.

The flustered Moby asked me.

“Lady Esther, did something happen yesterday? His Majesty is different from usual.”

“……”

I couldn’t make any reply. If I lifted my face buried in the porridge bowl, it seemed tears would fall.

The Duke’s footsteps go up to the 2nd floor and fade away completely.

‘Why are all my nerves still directed towards you.’

Moby muttered.

“Well, since you were apart, Lady Esther wouldn’t know either. Now that he’s about to go to the capital, he must have a lot to think about.”

[This is the timeline separator]

Early the next morning, we left for Harras.

Located at the southern end of the North, Commander Moby’s words that it’s a rare place with beautiful greenery didn’t really enter my ears.

“There are a lot of cows and sheep, so dairy products are delicious there.”

“Moby, are you just talking about eating?”

“Then don’t eat it. I’ll only buy it for Yora.”

“Yay.”

The sun was rising far over the horizon.

“Let’s go!”

The Duke rode his horse and went ahead.

I also followed behind from the very back.

Throughout the ride, and even when we got off the horses to rest just once, the Duke didn’t give me a glance.

It wasn’t that he was deliberately ignoring me, but it felt like he was trying hard to turn away from my existence.

[Wanting to kill someone for someone, teaching someone to dance. Wanting to see someone smile and saying crude words that don’t suit me, wanting to live as a man, not the Duke, for someone…… It was all for the first time.]

And I trampled on his firsts.

[This is the timeline separator]

The inn in Harras was small but neat and clean.

Fortunately, there were plenty of rooms, so I chose a small room and went in.

Being alone, various idle thoughts muddled my heart.

The thoughts I couldn’t have last night because of sadness rise and sink heavily in my head.

[Ah…… Esther. My white butterfly.]

‘White butterfly. He definitely called me a white butterfly.’

It wasn’t just a metaphor comparing me to a butterfly.

Why did you mention the existence of an assassin that doesn’t exist now and won’t appear in the future?

It’s not like you regressed like me. It’s not like you remember the past where you lost everything because of the white butterfly.

A hollow laugh escaped.

‘Esther, you’ve gone crazy now. That doesn’t make sense.’

I got up from the bed I was lying on and looked out the window.

Maybe you really thought I resembled a white butterfly when you looked at me. Then it would have been even harder to understand my actions.

A vast green plain dyed red by the sunset spreads out one step outside.

Suddenly, the moment I looked at the wild garden of the Duke’s castle with the Duke came to mind.

It was such a beautiful night garden. The wild flower field that was like a vast sea where silver moonlight descended.

But what was more beautiful was how he looked together with me. The time we spent together.

‘Should I have stopped there?’

Even that was more than enough happiness.

I closed my eyes.

That’s when it happened.

The sound of horse hooves was heard from afar.

When I opened my eyes, I saw a silver-haired knight on a silver horse riding towards this way.

‘Arcadia!’

A rush of joy flooded in. I hurried out.

“Arcadia!”

Arcadia, who was already standing in front of the inn, saw me and smiled broadly.

“Now you’re being blunt?”

“I’m sorry, Deputy Commander. I’m just so glad to see you.”

Then he showed a gentle smile.

“I know you’ve been fired. Just call me Arcadia.”

“Yes. Yes?”

“Where is His Majesty the Duke?”

Joyfully, his first words as a loyal person are about His Majesty the Duke.

“Is he inside? Where is he?”

“Commander Moby will know.”

“Then why don’t you know? As a close aide. You’ve gotten lazy?”

“No I haven’t!”

“Haha, just kidding. Ah, Moby is coming down there.”

Moby ran towards us.

“He’s waiting for you, Lord Nugent.”

“My, he doesn’t even give me a moment to catch my breath.”

Still smiling, he followed the commander into the inn. I carefully followed behind Arcadia and asked.

“Will you need me to say anything too?”

“No, I have something to say to His Majesty in private.”

He said it with a smile, but somehow in a firm tone.

“I understand.”

After showing a light smile, he went up to the 2nd floor.

I stood on the stairs blankly and listened to Arcadia’s fading footsteps. Footsteps heading towards His Majesty the Duke.

Suddenly I was envious. And I became scared.

‘Will the Duke and I grow apart like this? Is that it?’

No, I don’t want that.

I smiled bitterly at myself for being ridiculous.

‘Such contradictory feelings towards you.’

[This is the timeline separator]

I slowly returned to my room.

After opening the door and entering, I leaned against the door. I let out a low sigh.

I thought I did that for a long time.

‘What could he have to say to His Majesty in private?’

I was curious.

If the situation wasn’t like this, I would have knocked on the Duke’s door, pretending nothing was wrong. But the reality that I couldn’t do that was sad.

‘Muster up courage, Esther. You can’t go on like this with His Majesty forever.’

I kissed him and that’s how things got here. The one who has to untangle this is me too.

I left the room again.