Herald chuckled as he saw the gift box with a pretty ribbon attached.

“It seems too late to give a gift congratulating me on receiving the title of count.”

“It is a gift, but not a congratulatory one, nor one from me.”

“Then?”

“I hear it’s a gift from a young lady of a noble family to someone named Dillon Oppenheimer.”

Dillon Oppenheimer. As soon as he heard that name, Herald’s face stiffened. He snatched the gift away like an eagle catching its prey. Seeing this strange reaction, Dillon’s eyes narrowed.

Herald paid no mind and untied the ribbon. It should have come undone with a simple tug, but perhaps due to his trembling hands, it took a while just to undo the ribbon. Opening the gift box took even longer.

“……”

Dillon found Herald’s behavior both contemptible and unsettling. It lent more weight to the hypothesis that Herald liked Lili. Though he wanted to ask outright if it was true or not, Dillon pressed his lips tightly, afraid to hear an affirmative answer.

Herald carefully lifted the lid of the gift box as if it were a heavy stone or fragile glass, closed his eyes tightly, then opened them to check the contents. Inside the box was a handkerchief.

Come to think of it, I did lend her a handkerchief. A bitter smile spread across Herald’s lips as he recalled the fact he had momentarily forgotten while thinking of other matters.

When he lent Lili the handkerchief, he had planned to use it as an excuse to make another appointment to meet. It would be even better if he could receive a reward like when they walked by the lake together.

But his plans and hopes crumbled like a midsummer night’s dream. It felt pathetic that he couldn’t even make an “if” assumption.

Herald let out a deep sigh and picked up the handkerchief. Something fell to the floor with a thud. It was an envelope. The moment he saw the envelope, the emotions that had sunk into gloom began to move vividly again. Herald checked the outside of the envelope, holding back his slightly pounding heart.

Unlike before when there was no sender written, it clearly said [Liliana Benjamin]. And on the recipient side, it said [Herald Breyden] instead of [Dillon Oppenheimer].

Despite finally being called by his real name, he felt more uncomfortable than when he was called by the fake name. Herald fiddled with the part where Lili’s name was written, then opened the envelope with a paper knife.

Only one line was written on the luxurious stationery. It was a perfect sentence that represented Lili’s current state of mind while confirming that their relationship had been settled. He didn’t want to be double-tapped like this again. The golden eyes looking at the letter sank darkly.

They say the fever of first love is severe, and that was exactly right. Herald stood up with a low sneer, finding himself pathetic for not being able to give up and clinging on even though the other party had firmly said to end it.

“Here.”

And he handed Dillon a pre-wrapped box.

“Wait at the Calvador Nursing Home and give this to Liliana Benjamin when she appears. She’ll come to visit her mother around 2 o’clock, so you can wait for her then.”

To Dillon, who didn’t know what was in the box or what was written in the letter Herald received from Lili, it looked like the two were exchanging gifts affectionately like typical lovers.

“…Commander, you mustn’t forget that Liliana Benjamin is married.”

Unable to muster the courage to confirm the truth, yet unable to let it go as is, Dillon spoke softly. Herald chuckled and waved his hand at the remark that seemed to pierce through his heart.

“I know that well, so don’t worry about unnecessary things and go.”

“Yes, sir.”

After Dillon left, Herald, now alone, picked up the handkerchief. When he brought it close to his face, there was a faint but subtle scent of green apples. It was the fragrance he smelled every time he embraced Lili.

Though it was so faint that it could barely be detected unless he took a deep breath, Herald, wanting to preserve even this much, put the handkerchief back in the box and closed the lid tightly.

Lili, who wanted to visit her mother in the hospital rather than go to the temple, considered various methods but couldn’t think of a good one no matter how much she pondered. If she tried to change the reservation date, it was impossible as Samantha had said the schedule was full. And if she tried to postpone it to a month later when there was an opening, Samantha wouldn’t allow it.

There was also the option of ignoring Samantha’s words and going to visit the hospital, but the aftermath of that would be too severe. As Samantha had threatened, she could prevent Lili from visiting her mother ever again, so that method couldn’t be used.

Finally resigned, Lili trudged along behind Samantha. Throughout the carriage ride to the Grand Temple, her face was filled with gloomy and dark shadows.

“We’re going to receive a date for having a lovely child, so why on earth is your expression like that? Anyone who sees you would think you’re going to your death!”

“……”

“If the gods see your expression and get angry, not giving you a good date, I won’t let it slide.”

Though Samantha scolded her sharply, Lili’s expression didn’t change. Her mood had become so depressed that she couldn’t even force a smile. Even after arriving at the temple, when the darkness looming over Lili’s face showed no signs of lifting, Samantha took drastic measures and pressed a wide-brimmed hat onto her.

“At least bow your head like a guilty person!”

“……”

Lili, lacking both the energy and will to argue, did as Samantha told her. Wearing the hat and walking with her head bowed, she couldn’t see well in front of her, but it wasn’t particularly problematic as she just had to follow Samantha.

In this way, everything was done swiftly – meeting the priest, praying to the gods, and receiving a good date for conceiving a child.

Lili checked the time as she left the prayer room. Current time 3:30 PM. From here to the nursing home would take about an hour by carriage, so if she left now, she thought she could see her mother’s face, even if briefly.

“Lili? It is you, Lili, right?”

As Lili was about to tell Samantha that she would go ahead first since their business was finished, she turned her head in confusion when someone called her name cheerfully. There stood a handsome young man with reddish blonde hair and golden eyes. It was the 2nd Prince, Derius.

“Your High-”

“Shh.”

As Lili was about to call out to him in surprise, Derius winked and made a gesture as if to say not to say anything. Then he politely greeted the bewildered Samantha.

“Pleased to meet you, madam. I’m Fennil Ariand, an old friend of Lili’s.”

There was no one in the empire who didn’t know the name of the Ariand Marquis family. Not only was the Ariand Marquis’s wife famous as the Emperor’s mistress, bringing fame to the family name, but they were also well-known otherwise.

Samantha, too, was well aware of the Ariand Marquis family’s reputation, so she returned the greeting with an artificial yet full-blown smile.

“Oh my, is that so? I didn’t know our new daughter had such a good friend.”

“Lili is rather shy and doesn’t talk much about other people. It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other too.”

Lili looked at Derius with bewildered eyes as he acted as if he were truly her friend.

“So, I was wondering if I could have a moment to talk with Lili. Would that be alright?”

“Of course. My dear, I’ll be waiting while looking around the temple, so take your time chatting.”

Though she said “take your time,” there was pressure in her words to come back quickly if Lili was perceptive. After Samantha left, Lili asked Derius.

“Why did you lie about being my friend?”

“Because that’s the only way I could rescue you, madam.”

“Rescue me?”

“Yes. I know it’s meddling, but seeing you with an expression like a cow being dragged to the slaughterhouse, I couldn’t just leave you be.”

I thought it wouldn’t be visible because I was wearing a hat, but he saw it. Lili bowed her head slightly with a somewhat embarrassed expression.

“Thank you for helping me.”

“Not at all. I’ve been feeling guilty for not being able to help back then, so I’m rather glad I could help you like this.”

“Back then?”

“Two years ago, when there was a fire at the Benjamin Viscount’s residence.”

“…!”

Lili’s face turned slightly pale as she recalled the terrible fire incident where her happy daily life and dreamed future were all shattered. Lili took a deep breath to calm her churning emotions, then asked Derius.

“Why… did you want to help me?”

“I once received help from your father. I wanted to repay that kindness, but circumstances didn’t allow it. Though late, I wanted to apologize now.”

“Ah, no. It’s fine, you don’t need to apologize.”

She hadn’t expected help from the 2nd Prince, so she wasn’t disappointed or angry that he hadn’t helped.

“Thank you for understanding, madam. But it seems you haven’t heard about me from your parents. I’m acquainted with your mother as well as your father. We’ve even dined together several times.”

To think that the 2nd Prince was close enough to her parents to have eaten together not just once, but several times. Somewhat flustered by this fact she just learned today, Lili replied.

“I-I’m sorry, Your Highness. My parents might have told me, but I seem to have forgotten.”

“No, it’s alright. That can happen.”

Derius looked at his pocket watch and clicked his tongue briefly.

“I have a prior engagement, so I think I’ll have to go now… Is that alright?”

“Yes, it’s fine.”

Lili also needed to leave quickly, so she exchanged farewells with the 2nd Prince and turned around.

“……”

Derius, who had been staring at Lili’s retreating figure, turned his head as he sensed someone approaching from behind. There stood a woman who looked exactly like him, unmistakably family. It was the 2nd Prince’s mother, the Ariand Marchioness.

“Did you find out anything?”

To his mother’s question, Derius shook his head and looked in the direction where Lili had disappeared.

“It seems we’ll have to rely on Grechi for the time being.”