“Your Excellency! How could you do this!”

A piercing scream echoed through the hall.

“Maintain your composure, madam.”

“Do I look like I can maintain my composure now? I’ve endured your lack of love for me all this time. I only wished for one thing…”

The scene of the marital dispute, now all too familiar, unfolded before Cassian’s eyes.

A sneer spread across his lips.

It was nothing to be surprised about.

His father, the great saint, strives to act as if he has a greater capacity for love than even the God of Compassion.

How could a son dare to go against such intentions?

From the moment he hesitated to make a decision, no, from the moment he planned this situation, it was all a scenario he had predicted.

He even thought it was the most likely outcome.

The fact that the scenario played out exactly as expected was quite amusing, but not surprising.

Indeed, people cannot be rewritten.

No matter how much one tries to change, human instinct returns like a boomerang, stubbornly unable to shed its nature.

Cassian listened quietly to the shouting that passed back and forth like background music, then suddenly burst into laughter.

Like a madman.

At this sight, the noble marital dispute temporarily halted.

Cassian wiped away tears before carefully scanning the two people staring at him.

Among them, his gaze finally fixed on his father, who remained unchanged even to this day.

Ah, should he call him Duke Deviron instead of father?

Meanwhile, as if he was now worried, he asked with a rather meager show of goodwill in his eyes.

“Are you alright?”

Cassian’s eyes narrowed.

“Of course. I’m here because I’m not dead, aren’t I?”

At the sarcastic voice, Duke Deviron’s eyes furrowed slightly.

However, without even giving it a glance, Cassian strode out of the space as usual.

As he returned to his room, a letter came into his view.

The pink envelope without any pattern looked cute.

There was only one such thing that could be on his table.

Cassian’s hand was rough as he tore open the envelope.

The contents, written in handwriting as neat as a woman’s, filled his sight.

Though it was only two lines, Cassian read and reread it for a long time, as if enchanted.

Then, throwing down the letter, he lit a cigar.

Yes. People stubbornly refuse to change.

It seemed this liver-swollen woman would always come to find him with that same irritable face that looked like she was about to die.

Again, for the sake of his birth mother.

On the day of meeting with the man, I sit at the dressing table.

As always, thinking of things he would like, I apply makeup that seems like I haven’t done anything, then add more because it looks insufficient.

As I try to spray on perfume, I remember the man saying he likes the smell of skin.

Putting down the swaying bottle, I stare blankly at my reflection in the mirror before dutifully rising from my seat.

Listening to the ticking of the second hand, I board the carriage, and with the uniform sound of wheels, my heartbeat gradually grows louder.

The drumbeat that perfectly mimics the rhythm of the clock hands grows louder with my heartbeat, pounding through my entire body.

Yes. Let’s just say those words properly.

Repeating the prepared words in my mind over and over, I get off the carriage, take a deep breath, and then enter.

As usual, I’m guided up and see the door.

Contrary to my expectation that someone would stop me, no one blocked my way here.

Since sending that letter, he hasn’t sent any reply.

That fact weighed heavily on my mind like a huge rock.

Still, it’s fortunate that he didn’t stop me, I suppose.

He was someone who could cruelly kill me if he wanted to.

In reality, even if he did, I had no right to resent him.

Although I tried to dissuade, in the end, it was true that I had attempted to poison him at the words of that man called uncle.

Just communicating with such a person would be more than enough to turn the Blanchet family upside down.

Perhaps his letting me go alive was his final act of mercy.

So coming here again might have been a crazy thing to do.

As I approach the door step by step, I see a knight with a familiar appearance.

Because of his unique features, I immediately recall that he was the man who smiled and met my eyes in front of the carriage before.

His gaze, scanning me, held more curiosity than wariness.

He probably knows about the poisoning attempt, so he must be wondering how I could come back here after doing such a thing.

Worrying that he might block me, preventing me from meeting him, turned out to be unnecessary as the man showed no particular reaction.

“Is he inside?”

After asking, I realize it’s a foolish question.

Of course, the lord would be present where his guard is.

The knight silently opened the door.

Judging by how he moved without reporting, it was clear he was expecting me.

Is it okay to let such a chilling opponent who tried to kill him in so defenseless?

No matter how much I tried to guess, his intentions were utterly incomprehensible.

For a moment, a very slight doubt flashes by.

Whether he showed mercy because he loved me.

Of course, such a nonsensical thought was quickly dismissed.

This man who naturally spoke of engagement and marriage to me never loved me.

This man who still toys with me like medicine in the palm of his hand does not love me.

He probably just doesn’t give much meaning to someone like me since he can subdue me at his level.

Whatever his thoughts were in letting me in, it was too fortunate for me.

However, inside, anxiety greater than relief swirled and twisted.

The thought that it would be over the moment I missed this chance made my whole body stiffen.

How ridiculous to hesitate now, having come this far.

Forcing my heavy steps that wouldn’t move, I enter to see a long carpet and a man sitting by the window far away.

He was turning pages of a book with an unwavering posture.

As I stood quietly in front of the man who seemed not even to notice me, he silently turned several pages.

Then, with a thud, he put it down and slowly raised his head.

“Go ahead.”

Taking off his gold-rimmed glasses and putting them up, he quietly looked at me.

His eyes, made even more transparent by the sunlight, were filled with me.

“That thing you wanted to say.”

The person I thought would be cold and cruel had a face full of more vitality than ever.

It seemed to be because of the decadent smile on his lips.

That appearance made me nauseous, reminding me even more of the fact that I had tried to kill him not long ago.

What was I thinking, coming to see him like this?

Though it was ridiculous, the reality that I couldn’t back down here blocked my steps towards the open back door.

As I knelt down as I had practiced countless times in my head, his eyes twitched.

My face flushed with heat.

Though it was a sentence I had surely practiced more than a thousand times, not a single word came out properly.

As I stood there panting, he slowly approached.

My breath stopped as he leaned in, narrowing the distance.

After that, he wiped away the tears that had spread across my face.

That touch was gentler than ever.

The gaze looking at me also seemed warm, perhaps due to the sunlight reflected in his eyes.

Thanks to that, the words I had barely prepared leaked out.

“I’ll be a witness.”

“What witness?”

“I’ll confess that Count Alton gave me such orders, and that I followed them. If I just do that…”

“Then. You’ll die.”

The man’s face, now in the shadow of the backlight, couldn’t be seen properly.

That was rather fortunate.

Not seeing him, a false courage welled up, allowing me to blurt out the words I had prepared on my own.

“I don’t mind dying. Just let my mother receive the medicine.”

“…”

“If you don’t eliminate Count Alton this time, he will never stop here. To make sure that person never appears before you again…”

A sound like a sneer was heard from the dark shadow where the man was.

“Ha, just… give me one more chance.”

In an instant, my body was lifted into the air.

When I came to my senses, I found myself inadvertently in the man’s arms.

He put me down on the bed and sat down askew at the edge.

“You still take Blanchet too lightly.”

His hand unfastening his wristwatch was casual.

“You seem to think your confession will be effective?”

The man’s face, now turned back to me, was slightly furrowed.

Does it mean someone like me is not needed?

My heart, which had calmed a little, began to beat violently again.

“But…”

Despite practicing my confession and its contents countless times, my lips only trembled, unable to utter a single word.

Watching this scene without the slightest movement, he languidly narrowed his eyes.

“Stay tied up here today.”

What does this mean?

His current attitude was completely opposite to saying my testimony was unnecessary.

Shouldn’t I, being useless, be driven out right away without receiving anything?

And yet…

“I’ll send that medicine on schedule.”

The man’s hand, reaching for his shirt, roughly climbed up.

A devilish whisper continued by my ear.

“Let’s meet more often from now on.”

As I tightly closed my eyes, deep darkness dominated my vision.

At the words of the man, who I couldn’t tell was a savior or a devil, deep confusion rippled through my mind.

The softened movements were clearly… different from before.

Why.

To me, who tried to kill him, he…