“…Please, Your Grace.”

Meiana spoke, but it was a small, almost whispered voice. There was no attempt to escape, and despite her efforts to bury certain images passing through her mind, the ones that must never be discovered, things weren’t going as she had intended.

“Your Grace.”

She spoke again. In that moment, Meiana could feel Cedeloi’s arms around her waist tighten even more. As the lower parts of their bodies touched underwater, making them aware of the contact, she couldn’t even bring herself to look directly at him.

“Do you really have no intention of accepting my proposal?”

Meiana, with her head raised, had wide-open eyes. The moisture dripping from Cedeloi clung moistly to her cheeks and lips.

He suddenly recalled the image of Meiana he had seen one night. The image that had stirred an impulse he had never thought of. The scene where the light shimmered over her cheeks, drenched in moisture and warmth…

Their breaths drew closer, as if about to touch. The moment Cedeloi grabbed her hand, Meiana spoke.

“No.”

Cedeloi’s slow movements abruptly halted. Meiana, without meeting his gaze, turned her head away.

The lips that were about to touch each other distantly withdrew, and the warmth mingling along the waves vanished like a gunshot, disappearing like a startled bird.

“Why?”

Meiana looked at him with a wrinkled face.

“What did you say?”

“I asked if it will be forever.”

“What… What are you talking about?”

“That’s… Of course, at least until I take care of Lady Ariante. Absolutely…”

Absolutely, there won’t be anything between you and me.

Meiana blinked a couple of times. Why couldn’t she say what she had thought?

If she didn’t draw a precise line here and now, she would eventually be dragged into that man’s domain.

I can’t let that happen…

“Someday, Lady Ariante won’t need your care anymore.”

Meiana chuckled, but it was a forced laughter, closer to a laugh she fabricated. Noticing that fact, Cedeloi grinned faintly.

“After that, it won’t be too late to consider things slowly.”

After saying that, Cedeloi, still holding Meiana to prevent her from falling, walked out of the water slowly. As the wind passed through the wet fabric, a chilly air was felt, but Meiana didn’t even think about the cold because Cedeloi’s hand holding her arm felt excessively warm.

It will be just for a moment, she thought. His interest in her couldn’t possibly last this long.

When Ariante reaches an age where she doesn’t need anyone’s care, he will have time to lead his own life. When that happens, numerous people she never considered before will come into her view…

“Wear this. You might catch a cold.”

Cedeloi draped a dry jacket over Meiana’s shoulders and said. Watching him twist the wet shirt to squeeze out moisture, Meiana closed her eyes and let out a long breath. Though her heart was pounding at an anxious pace, showing no sign of calming down, she tried hard not to think about that fact.

‘Let it be like this.’
From the jacket that covered her shoulders, Cedeloi’s scent permeated strongly. The smell that involuntarily closed her eyes, the fragrance that tensed her from the back of her neck to behind her knees.

Meiana tightly clenched the jacket’s hem with her wet hands.

‘If only things could continue like this. If His Grace can live comfortably, Lady Ariante can enjoy her time with friends peacefully, then there would be no problem. As it is now…’

Throughout the way to the mansion, she was deeply absorbed in thoughts she had created herself. Only the sound of Cedeloi’s footsteps on the grass occasionally tickled her ears, and the silent exchange with no conversation weighed on her chest like waves.

If only everything could stay peaceful like this.

But Meiana’s wish was not granted so easily.

“I hate this!”

Ariante shouted, ripping apart a dress with a forceful motion, making Bridget flinch and roll her eyes. Ariante threw down the dress she had taken off like tearing it apart and then sharply presented another dress.

“Lady, what about this one? You really liked this dress last time. Look! The blue color is very beautiful. It suits well with today’s sunny weather…”

“I hate it, hate it! I won’t wear it! Go away!”

With a tightly clenched small fist, Ariante forcefully shouted and snatched the dress from Bridget. Then, without giving anyone a chance to intervene, she crumpled it messily and, still unable to calm down, stomped on the floor.

“I hate all of them! I don’t want to wear any of them!”

In the face of Ariante’s tantrum, Bridget, not knowing what to do, hurriedly ran out of the room, saying she would bring something else. Meiana, who had prepared accessories, waiting for Ariante to choose a dress, sighed.

‘It’s been a long time since I’ve seen this sight.’

Meiana thought.

Standing awkwardly and grumbling, Ariante forcefully closed the open door, locked it with a key, and with a thud, she slammed the door after forcefully securing it. Along with the sound of the door locking, Bridget’s bewildered voice could be heard from outside.