In her previous life, Idren had never sent her a blue dress.

He was the type of person who would give fabric to make clothes rather than clothes themselves. This was because he tended to ensure as many choices as possible.

To begin with, clothes were not often exchanged as gifts unless between close people.

Gifting finished clothes meant knowing the other person’s body measurements. So it was not often chosen unless for family or betrothed.

Of course, they were already married so they could exchange such gifts, but… Ophelia brushed her face with an impatient hand.

Other clothes would be fine. But a blue dress was too complicated an item for her.

After their betrothal, Haslen had sent her a blue dress and white shoes every year on her birthday.

Ophelia would wear that dress first when going to meet him, and then on important days of the year or days when she needed courage. It made her feel at ease, as if she were with her betrothed.

But that was all before witnessing his execution from Leden’s tower.

After her betrothed’s death, Ophelia no longer wore blue dresses. Clothes made of blue fabric, like everything else that reminded her of him, were buried in her heart.

But why did Idren…

Blue wasn’t even his favorite color. Ophelia remembered him offering her red velvet at the royal palace they had stopped by on the way to Edegrun.

Holding her face with hands lacking blood flow, Ophelia gauged the possibility that she might have told him about Haslen.

But it didn’t seem likely, even if she had been drunk or under the influence of drugs.

The only son of Rakmata was her most precious treasure. The smiles he had shown, the memories they had built together, and the kindness she had learned could not be replaced by anything.

When he was completely shattered by Mahanas’s hands, Ophelia had barely gathered the pieces and buried them deep in her heart.

Since then, she had not spoken to anyone about Haslen. She feared that sharing memories with others might further damage what was already broken.

There was no way she would have spoken about such cherished things. Especially to a man she had only recently become close to.

Having rejected her first assumption, Ophelia thought. Then perhaps he heard something from those sent from Leden.

If it hadn’t come from her mouth, there was a possibility it came from someone else’s.

As it happened, the knights and servants from Leden knew what Haslen had sent for her birthday every year. Idren had removed them from her side, but it didn’t seem like he had sent them back to Leden.

Ophelia lowered her eyes. Slowly scanning the carpet on the floor, she thought that if they had mentioned the only son of Rakmata, she would rip out their tongues. No one born in Leden lands had the right to speak of Haslen.

No, before that, she needed to determine if there was definitely an intention behind that dress. Ophelia recalled the words she had heard from Idren. After helping her up and showing her the clothes in the box, he had said…

“I remembered that blue clothes suited you well, so I prepared one.”

…Have I ever worn blue clothes in front of that man?

Ophelia immediately denied her own question. She wouldn’t have done that.

Every time she had clothes fitted after marriage, she had excluded blue fabric. Even when the tailor suggested trying it because it matched her eye color, she always refused.

But am I remembering correctly?

Ophelia pressed her hands covering her face a little harder.

Now she was making great efforts to live with a clear mind, but in her previous life, she had forgotten even people she had met face to face an hour ago.

That’s why she had Dahel accompany her everywhere. She needed someone to remember everything for her.

Having lived like that, could she confidently say she remembered everything she had worn? Especially when the marriage period had been over a thousand days?

In the midst of confusion, there was only one conclusion she could draw. Ophelia glared at the dress that the servants were carefully preparing while watching her mood.

Since only Idren would know his own thoughts, she had to ask him.

The clothes fit perfectly. When the fabric gently wrapped around her body, Ophelia instinctively shivered a little. Goosebumps rose on her spine.

Since all the white shoes she had were ones she didn’t wear, she chose dark green shoes to go under the dress. They didn’t match as well as the white ones that suited her particularly well, but they were reasonably fine.

“…It suits you well.”

Idren, who had come to fetch her, muttered with a dazed expression. Ophelia unconsciously observed his demeanor.

Even setting aside her circumstances, it wouldn’t be good for Idren to know about Haslen.

Idren was looking at her as she had looked at Haslen, no, in some ways even more persistently and blindly. It seemed to be mixed with romantic feelings.

Hadn’t he said it was fine even if she acted not kind but like a crazy person?

She didn’t know how long those feelings would last, but what mattered was that they were burning right now.

Should she necessarily inform such a man that there had been someone she had desperately wished to marry?

If Ophelia were to tell Idren about Haslen, she would have no choice but to reveal everything. Although she was the type who could hide uncomfortable truths even if she didn’t often lie, when it came to Haslen, she couldn’t add or subtract anything.

It wouldn’t be courteous to Idren to hide and conceal things either.

But if such a sensitive man were to learn the truth, could he remain unscathed?

Probably not. This wasn’t a matter of sexual love.

Ophelia knew about the feelings that arise when one unique person enters your life.

When you hold someone irreplaceable in your heart. Naturally, you want to become the unique person in their life as well.

Idren was wishing the same for her.

Although he said he wouldn’t try to see or hear what was inside her, Ophelia already knew what was there. Seeing him cling on without faltering no matter how coldly she treated him, she couldn’t help but know.

And hadn’t she seen that man cry enough already? Although Ophelia couldn’t hold him in her heart, she didn’t want to hurt him anymore.

So she needed to have a conversation about it, but she just couldn’t find the opportunity.

While receiving birthday gifts, Ophelia tried not to be too conscious of the man sitting next to her. She couldn’t understand why it was so difficult to open her mouth.

It seemed like she had conversed well when receiving gifts before, but now that she thought she had something important to say, even starting was difficult.

Looking down at the ruby said to be sent by the still confined Gilord Nevel, Ophelia gave a reason for her hesitation.

Perhaps it was because she had to keep sitting with him until the music started and they began to dance.

She had to stay with Idren until the gift presentation was over. It was natural to be cautious about what to say to avoid an awkward time.

But isn’t it awkward right now anyway?

Today, Idren didn’t often engage her in casual conversation. He did explain things related to the nobles’ gift presentations, but he didn’t joke around or grumble about trivial things like before.

In other words, he was acting very adult-like.

And Ophelia remembered when he had acted maturely before. Hadn’t he done so after crying in the carriage on the way to Rohos Castle?

Usually, thinking things through should make the situation clearer, but this time it felt like the more she thought, the more complicated her feelings became. Ophelia lightly bit her lower lip. Thinking she might be bored, Idren leaned his head slightly towards her.

“It will be over soon.”

It was true, as the first day’s schedule only involved receiving gifts from Edegrun nobles, and only the elder families could directly approach the throne to offer items. Once the head of the Onde family, who was now bowing his head last, retreated, the music would soon start.

And then she would have to take his hand and dance.

Although she had done it a few times in her previous life, she couldn’t understand why it bothered her so much today. Ophelia lowered her gaze, briefly imagining in her mind the dance she had memorized long ago.

“Talk to me later.”

“…We have to dance the first dance, so after that.”

As soon as she heard the answer, something bothered her. Ophelia added,

“It doesn’t have to be right after. After the dance, after chatting with all the necessary people, no, after finishing today’s schedule…”

“I can make time in between. I have something to give you today anyway.”

And Idren waved his hand to dismiss the head of the Onde family. Ophelia looked straight ahead again. Countless eyes, too many to count, were looking up at them.

“…What is it?”

The official birthday gift Idren had prepared was scheduled to be revealed on the third day of the banquet. So what he was talking about was clearly an item he wanted to deliver personally.

And the first item he had given her personally, the blue dress, was already troubling her enough.

But Idren didn’t answer right away. Still looking ahead, he spoke in a calm tone.

“I’ll let you know when the time comes.”