This was a private room in a restaurant with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the sea. Baron Lupua, who was closely attached to Edmond, was spitting out passionate words.

The lord, Baron Lupua, who had rushed over upon hearing news of Duke Mifidian’s visit, had come out to greet him and even invited him to lunch, despite the message that he wanted to stay quietly.

Lilien smiled awkwardly as she dealt with the baron’s daughter, Lady Natra, who was acting friendly, saying they had met briefly at a banquet.

The baron and his daughter were indifferent knowing my identity. If Baron Lupua had been a political figure or interested in business, their attitude might have been different.

But they had a separate purpose.

Namely, Duke Edmond Mifidian.

Upon hearing news of Duke Mifidian’s visit, he had dressed up his daughter and invited her to the lunch meeting.

I tried to refuse, but we ended up visiting because Lilien heard they had a tower with a clear view of the sea at their mansion and said she really wanted to see it.

However, it looked like we would leave with indigestion rather than seeing the tower.

Lilien kept giving apologetic looks as if she hadn’t expected this. I wrinkled my nose to indicate it was fine.

That’s when it happened. As the meal was wrapping up, Baron Lupua laughed and opened his mouth.

“Your Grace, it’s an honor to host you like this, but how about having my daughter guide you to the tourist spots?”

Baron Lupua winked at Lady Natra as he spoke. Lady Natra then covered her flushed cheeks and smiled shyly.

‘This is too blatant.’

She was already staring at Edmond with a face lost in love, as if in ecstasy.

As if hoping he would look at her, she blinked her large, innocent eyes rapidly.

Lady Natra, who was so obvious yet pretending to be coy, was cute in her own way. Though Edmond, the subject of her affections, only furrowed his brows and showed his discomfort.

He stood up, glancing at Lilien to gauge her thoughts, and gave a cold look to Baron Lupua, who hastily stood up as well.

“I’ve heard enough. This is sufficient, let’s end this gathering.”

“…Pardon?”

Then he gave Lilien and me a look indicating we should stand up.

We quickly rose.

“W-wait a moment…!”

Before Baron Lupua could finish speaking, we gave our final greetings and left the restaurant.

Baron Lupua, about to lose the chance of a lifetime, hurriedly chased after us.

“There are truly many beautiful tourist spots! While relaxing is good, wouldn’t it be better to look around since you’ve visited?”

Edmond crossed the hallway staring straight ahead with an expressionless face. Baron Lupua broke into a sweat as he fell behind due to the difference in leg length.

“Es-especially that cliff where it’s said lovers who whisper their love will be together forever is the pride of the territory with beautiful sea views. What do you think, Lady Lilien?”

He’s trying to appeal to Lilien again without even showing us the tower.

“Thank you for the offer, but I don’t really feel like going. I’d like to spend time quietly since we came for a vacation.”

Lilien couldn’t have missed the obvious intent. The baron seemed to realize he couldn’t push further after her polite but firm refusal.

In the end, the baron, who had chased us to the front of the restaurant, turned to look at Lady Natra, who had just followed out, with a disappointed face.

Lady Natra stared blankly at the departing Edmond with reddened eyes.

“Your Grace…”

I heard the baron consoling her, saying he would find her a better match. This was followed by the young lady’s tearful insistence that there was no one more splendid than him and that she would chase after him right away.

Shouldn’t they have such conversations in private? What if someone hears?

Sure enough. Lilien’s ears perked up. Witnessing this, I felt a chill of unease on the back of my neck.

Lilien suddenly stopped in her tracks, turned around, and shouted.

“I’m sorry to you both, but my brother already has a lifelong compa-…!”

Standing behind Lilien and watching closely, I hurriedly covered her mouth.

If it reached the ears of the seemingly rash Baron Lupua, it would turn into a scandal and spread like wildfire.

For a moment, I met Lilien’s rabbit-like eyes. She seemed to realize belatedly, lowering her eyes apologetically.

“Companion…?”

I caught the subtle change in the expressions of Baron Lupua and his daughter.

‘No choice.’

I had to divert their attention before they could harbor any disrespectful thoughts.

“Shall we all go? To the cliff.”

I felt Edmond’s disapproving gaze boring into the back of my head.

‘It’s to prevent a scandal, please understand.’

I awkwardly smiled while deliberately avoiding his gaze.

As it was a tourist attraction, the road to the cliff was paved, making travel easy, but after getting off the carriage, we had to walk up a narrow slope.

Fortunately, the distance was short.

The baron stuck close to Edmond, explaining about his daughter, while Lady Natra demurely followed behind.

‘This is a good opportunity.’

I felt like an unwelcome guest among the well-matched pair.

“Oh my!”

Just then, Lady Natra staggered and clung to Edmond’s arm.

“I-I’m sorry.”

She looked up at Edmond with a flushed face while holding onto his arm.

Edmond glanced at the girl’s coquettish behavior with an indifferent gaze and then stared straight ahead.

He was disinterested, but unfortunately, the young lady who hadn’t received even a glance until then took it as a positive sign and smiled softly.

At that moment, my eyes met those of Lady Natra.

Her eyes turned hostile, and she raised her eyebrows, smiling triumphantly. Surprised, I widened my eyes slightly.

‘Did I just get checked?’

The corners of my mouth lifted slightly.

‘Oh my, how cute.’

But I immediately forced my lips down. I knew that smiling here would only provoke the other party.

It seems I’ve become a thorn in the baroness’s side due to the rumors that spread in the capital.

Well, it’s not strange to be wary of the person of the opposite sex who is physically closest to the one you like.

Her gaze quickly dropped away, and soon after, as our breathing became a bit labored, we arrived at the entrance to the cliff, which was fenced off.

Beyond the lush grass, the sea revealed itself.

The sight of the sunlight shimmering on the water surface like stars was beautiful enough to captivate us.

Even Lilien, who had been on guard against the baron and his daughter with tense facial muscles, brightened up.

“It’s so beautiful. Let’s go up quickly, Lady Etricia!”

“Alright.”

The fenced entrance was narrow enough for only one person to climb at a time.

First, the baron and his daughter, familiar with the cliff, went up, then Lilien climbed with Edmond’s escort.

Naturally expecting to receive Edmond’s escort next, I was momentarily taken aback by his back filling my vision.

“Sister, please go ahead.”

Edmond’s low voice, with his back to me, seemed to resonate.

“Why?”

Lilien turned around after climbing to the entrance and looking at the sea.

“The cliff is scary.”

“You?”

Lilien made a face as if it was nonsense. I couldn’t see what expression Edmond was making, but his tone didn’t convey any fear at all.

She tilted her head, then noticed me peeking out from behind his shoulder and grinned. It was the first time I’d seen such an impish expression on Lilien’s face.

“Alright, leave it to me!”

Leave what to you?

“Let’s go, Lady Baroness!”

While I was bewildered, Lilien linked arms with Lady Natra and dragged her away, asking the Baron Lupua to introduce them to the cliff.

Blocked by Edmond’s back, I could only hear them being dragged away with sounds of “Uh, uh.”

Only then did Edmond step aside from the entrance and gaze at me with lowered eyes.

“Do you perhaps have something urgent to tell me?”

“No.”

Edmond said, blinking slowly. If there wasn’t, it was even more puzzling. How could it be that he, called the hero of the empire, was afraid of cliffs? Moreover, to let even Lilien go alone.

As if reading my puzzled look, he stared at me silently with an expressionless face, then slightly furrowed his brow and turned his head.

“Aren’t you afraid of high places?”

Ah. A small sigh escaped.

Recalling the embarrassing behavior I showed in the vineyard, I turned my face to the opposite side to hide my flushing cheeks.

To think he would clearly remember something I didn’t even recall, a moment that had just passed by.

Just then, a clear sea breeze that had swept across the cliff cooled my heated body. That wind tickled even my chest as it passed.

“I’m not afraid. It’s just a bit uncomfortable.”

“Isn’t that the same meaning?”

Thinking it was odd that we weren’t being formal and were both turning our heads away from each other, I straightened my head.

Come to think of it, since last time… it seems he’s been subtly worrying about me. As that thought occurred to me, my lips spread into a relaxed smile.

“Are you worried about me?”

His eyes, which had been staring at the bushes across from us as we stood side by side at the entrance, settled on me.

He remained silent for a long time, only averting his gaze. It was as good as an affirmation.

As the gently blowing wind tickled me, I slightly furrowed my brow and thought.

‘This person has been… overprotective since the vineyard.’

I’m not used to this kind of concern.

But I didn’t dislike it. It was a pleasant discomfort.

Above all, the fact that Edmond, who had always been on guard like a hissing cat, was now worrying about me made me newly aware of the time we had spent together.

The time waiting for the group that had climbed the cliff felt strangely long.

I quietly rolled my eyes to look up at Edmond standing beside me.