The dining table was lavishly filled with candles and plates, and the maids cleared away fallen petals and paper flowers before hurriedly leaving.

As maid Mary was leaving, she whispered to Lilien that the party hat placed under the table should absolutely not be taken out due to the atmosphere, which elicited laughter.

“This way.”

For some reason, Edmond, who had been quietly watching from behind, was naturally leading me towards the dining table.

“Just a moment.”

Seeing the last maid leave, I headed towards the door. Curious gazes followed, but I wanted to finalize the blurred boundary that had leaked into that corridor like light.

“I’ll close it.”

The maid glanced at me with a puzzled look but withdrew without a word.

I stood at the door, gazing at the corridor where a thin beam of light stretched, where I had stood the day before. My younger self. And where I stood yesterday.

‘I’m no longer standing here.’

The knots of the past melted away like lingering snow, and new buds sprouted like spring.

The farewell to the past made my chest ache a little.

“Lady Etricia, come on!”

As I turned around, Lilien was smiling brightly and gesturing. Next to her stood Edmond, his face expressionless but softer than usual. In his hand, my bloodstained handkerchief was tightly wrapped. Those two are my family. I felt my heart being warmly filled.

“Yes, I’m coming.”

A voice tinged with laughter flowed out without me realizing.

I looked back once at the dark corridor pooled with light and closed the door firmly. The sound of the boundary with the corridor becoming complete with a bang somehow felt pleasant.

Edmond walked out of the banquet hall, where soft light flickered, and down the straight corridor. Through the door that closed a beat slower, Etricia’s delightful laughter stretched out.

He organically recalled Etricia’s fresh smile.

Etricia’s plump lower lip trembled slightly as if moved, and she smiled brightly with reddened eyes. As beautiful as a fully bloomed flower.

At that moment, he could only helplessly watch, mixed in with the other servants. As if a gentle breeze had tickled his heart and passed by, he wore a faint smile on his lips.

But that was only for a moment before his lips froze as cold as ice.

Edmond began to cross the corridor. At his quick presence, the flames of the oil lamps hanging on the walls wavered once.

“Tail.”

Tail, who had revealed himself from the darkness, stuck close behind.

“We found a maid who showed suspicious movements at the Duchy’s magic stone management office 10 years ago, but she has already passed away. Her mother is bedridden due to illness, and according to nearby residents, she was close to her daughter.”

Rail glanced sideways at Edmond’s expression.

“Shall we investigate further?”

Edmond stopped walking. He lowered his clouded eyes as he exhaled a deep breath.

To think that this was the extent of the results even with a full-scale search using his power as a Duke.

He couldn’t even find the enemy demons, let alone uncover the cause of their manifestation.

At times like this, his mind would become distant. As if the vague determination to find them was choking him. As if the killing intent that had stretched out like a spear towards the enemy had returned like a boomerang and stabbed him like a dagger.

Sometimes he had to swallow feelings of loss and emptiness in pursuit of something formless. But he had no intention of giving up.

Edmond slowly opened his eyes, grasping his weakened spirit. A cold gleam swirled in his clouded gaze.

“Assign the best medical team to monitor her recovery. She should be able to move her tongue once she opens her eyes.”

“I’ll do so.”

Tail bowed his head and slowly disappeared into the darkness. Having cut away his unpleasant emotions by furrowing his brow, he arrived at his office.

As he was about to grab the doorknob, he lowered his gaze to his hand.

A snow-white handkerchief was wrapped around his hand. Years of battle had left distinct calluses and scars embedded in it.

‘I’m going to leave this mansion now.’

The moment he heard those words, his heart sank. At the same time, he was overwhelmed by an indescribable astonishment and the urge to grab her immediately.

On the other hand, he was puzzled. Why, when there was no reason to hold her back anymore. She wasn’t a threat, so there was no need to keep her under surveillance.

But before he could find an answer, Etricia repeatedly declared her farewell as if to provoke him.

In fact, he knew the reason. The day before, Etricia had stayed cooped up in her room, not coming out. Lilien had only said it was fortunate that she could prepare for the banquet comfortably, but he could sense that something was subtly off. She had experienced a change of heart after discovering the guild leader’s disappearance.

But he thought she would soon approach him with her characteristic sly smile. He was planning to tell her that he had forgiven everything before the banquet, that he had dealt with the guild leader for her safety…

He hadn’t expected her to say she was leaving at all.

As always, she only spoke rationally, smiling over her true feelings. Like someone afraid of clashing hearts.

As if she would be fooled again, like his stupid self not long ago.

Because of her, speaking with a sorrowful smile and eyes trembling with anxiety, his insides twisted and he spoke harshly.

‘Are you going to cry alone again after doing that?’

It was because he now knew too well that she was someone who would say she was fine even when she wasn’t.

Edmond looked down at his palm with sunken eyes.

Ha, a self-deprecating laugh escaped between his teeth.

He thought he could make any oath if it meant reassuring her, keeping her in the mansion. It was evidence of the certainty that had settled in at some point that he wouldn’t threaten her.

As a result, Etricia decided to stay in the mansion.

‘Why did I want to hold onto her so much?’ The only certain thing was that he didn’t want to let Etricia go.

As he was about to enter the office after exhaling a deep sigh, he encountered Rail who had followed belatedly.

“Master, they are cleaning up the banquet hall. It seems your chat with the two of you won’t end. Today, sleeping together-.”

Rail’s eyes fell on Edmond’s hand as he was speaking.

“Master, your hand…”

Edmond ignored Rail and entered the office. Rail, who followed him in, looked worriedly at Edmond as he immediately sat down at his desk.

“Shall I call a doctor?”

“Don’t make a fuss.”

“But your wound will worsen.”

Ah, at that moment, Rail remembered something he had forgotten and pressed his forehead with his hand. After Edmond left the banquet hall, Etricia had called Rail and suggested he check on the master’s body. So this is what it was about.

Rail sighed deeply and then his eyes widened at a thought that crossed his mind.

An unpleasant premonition invaded his mind. There was no one in this mansion who would dare to leave a wound on his master’s body. It couldn’t have been Duke Vuel either.

“Don’t tell me, you did this to yourself?”

“Yes.”

Edmond said casually as he turned a page of a document.

Rail squeezed his eyes shut.

“Oh my, Duke Vuel must have been very surprised. Women are so afraid of such things.”

The hand turning the document flinched. Edmond looked at Rail with a subtle gaze.

“Afraid?”

Rail nodded as if to say it was obvious.

“Of course, especially if it’s Duke Vuel.”

Edmond knew the hidden meaning behind those words. It meant she was a victim of domestic violence.

Edmond frowned and rubbed his forehead. Come to think of it, when he cut his hand and let the blood drip onto the oath stone, Etricia had been frozen for a while.

She even tied the handkerchief three times to make sure it wouldn’t come loose.

At that moment, her hair tickled his fingertips as she focused with her head bowed, drawing his attention. That’s why he even looked around the garden, which he usually had no interest in.

“I know it’s not a serious wound for you, Master, but please don’t neglect it and get it treated.”

Edmond, who had been immersed in sorrowful thoughts, quickly put on his usual sharp face. The displeased look he gave Rail was saying, why should I listen to you?

Not noticing that look, Rail sighed deeply and said,

“Duke Vuel was so worried, she grabbed me and told me to check on the master’s body.”

“…”

“If there’s even a scar left on your hand-”

“Call.”

“Pardon?”

“The doctor, I said call him.”

Edmond said, turning his gaze to the documents. The sharp look in his eyes had softened and settled as it fell on mere paper.

Rail looked at his master with wide eyes, and then as if an arrow had struck the back of his head, he intuitively realized.

To think that this was the identity of the subtle change and discomfort in his master recently.

Rail’s mouth twitched.

He had been receiving subtle mistreatment from Baron Montri. He was told to create coincidental meetings, saying he would look for a suitable marriage partner for the master. When he refused, not wanting to incur his master’s disapproval, he was then urged to do something with anyone.

Saying, at this rate, your master will rot away alone for life.

At such times, Rail was in a difficult position in the middle. And he was concerned. Secretly wondering if someone who could stir his master’s heart would appear.

‘Even that beautiful Western princess wasn’t perceived as a woman, who on earth could it be…’

But…

Ah. Don’t laugh. Don’t laugh. Desperately holding it in, he gritted his teeth and spoke in a suppressed voice.

“Yes, understood.”

With that, Rail quickly left the office. Then, leaning against the door, he covered his smirking mouth with his hand.

‘Miss Lilien, Baron Montri, your wishes have come true. Your efforts have finally paid off.’

They would both be overjoyed if they knew, but Rail decided to delay telling them. It was clear his lord would hate that.

In fact, Lilien’s matchmaking attempts that ignored procedure, rules, and emotions were often reckless. To the point where the servants had to secretly swallow their laughter.

Rail believed that male-female relationships should progress slowly and steadily, like waves seeping into beach sand.

‘If Tail, who’s been dispatched, knew, he’d be shocked and flip out.’

Even now, he would click his tongue, asking how one could sympathize with a woman who almost killed him, even if unintentionally.

But Rail, being his twin, knows. That too shall pass. He knows his brother better than anyone – despite his fierce and rough words, his heart is soft underneath. The same blood flows through their bodies after all.

Rail covered his mouth with his fist and laughed, making a wind-like sound, as he walked down the corridor. As he did so, he rubbed his twitching lips to smooth them out. For someone going to call a doctor, he had a strangely excited air about him.