“……Viscount Boston?”

Jade narrowed his eyes, perhaps seeing me as Diane.

Only after closing the distance did his rigid expression finally soften, as if he recognized me.

‘Did he realize it’s me?’

Jade’s gaze was fixed squarely on me. He didn’t spare even a glance for Sharlin.

“Marquis, did, did you not come out to see me?”

“……Lady Winst? How long have you been there?”

Jade’s response, implying he hadn’t even known she was present, was embarrassing even for me.

Earlier, Sharlin had asked him to avoid meeting her.

‘Of all times to come out when Sharlin is here.’

I stroked my irregularly beating heart while hiding Blanche behind me.

‘Blanche mustn’t act like she knows Jade in front of Sharlin.’

Though I didn’t know why she disliked the ‘Belaste princess’, I wanted to avoid any factors that could endanger Blanche.

“I’m your fiancée, Marquis. Why are you looking at Diane, not me……”

Sharlin’s voice, tinged with bewilderment, grew intense.

“Lady Winst. You returned the engagement document as is. Have you come to sign it?”

“Marquis. This, this is too much. How could you say such things in front of others……”

Sharlin raised her head sharply, feeling humiliated.

Her pupils flashed fiercely.

“Diane. You clearly said you came to see Lady Ayla. Why did the Marquis come out to greet you? What kind of relationship do you have with him?”

Sharlin pressed me as if interrogating.

‘What, what should I do about this.’

I felt like a mistress caught in an improper relationship.

“With a daughter no less, acting innocent while behaving shamefully with my fiancé? Did you plan this with your daughter too? Deliberately creating a child resembling the Belaste princess to show the Marquis……!”

Blatant anger poured from the excited Sharlin’s mouth.

“……That’s enough.”

Jade stepped in front of me, blocking her. I could see the outline of his protruding shoulder blades.

Sharlin was hidden from view behind Jade’s large, sturdy back.

“You need to fix that habit of speaking so crudely, Lady Winst.”

“……Ma-Marquis. I’m sorry. I got too excited and made a mistake, I mean, that’s not what I meant−”

“How dare you act this way towards a guest of the Rowes.”

Jade cut off Sharlin’s words as she pleaded her innocence.

“If, if my father learns of today’s events……!”

“My goodness.”

Jade scoffed with a sigh.

“Do you think Winst is in a position to retaliate against Rowe right now?”

“Marquis, h-how could you say such things.”

“Don’t be mistaken. The reason we haven’t imposed any sanctions on Winst is because it’s not worth the effort.”

Due to Jade still shielding me from behind, I couldn’t see what expression Sharlin was making.

However, Sharlin didn’t add anything more and got into the carriage, scattering tears as if fleeing.

While Sharlin wasn’t entirely pitiable, Jade’s handling of the situation couldn’t be considered good either.

“Larien. Why do you just stay silent after hearing such words?”

“……Jade, is it okay to speak that way to Lady Winst?”

“Don’t think of saying anything. It took all my patience just to give a simple warning.”

Jade swept his hair back, clearly showing his displeasure.

Years of experience told me that nothing good would come from provoking Jade when he was this irritated.

Still, Sharlin’s words weren’t entirely wrong.

‘While I’m angered by her accusations of acting innocent and behaving shamefully, or deliberately planning this……’

From her position as Jade’s fiancée, it was natural for me to be a thorn in her side.

‘We’re not married, and she doesn’t know Blanche is my real daughter……’

It was a relationship that was barely disguised as friendship, nothing more than deception to anyone.

“Marquis! Please hold Shu Shu!”

Blanche, who had been pursing her lips and rolling her eyes, reached out to Jade.

“B-Blanche, stay still.”

“……Come here.”

Jade grabbed Blanche’s back with one hand and carried her. It was closer to dangling than being held.

It was an awkward posture that showed he was holding a child for the first time.

“This is uncomfortable for Shu Shu. Please hold me properly.”

Blanche tapped Jade’s forearm and spoke firmly.

“I wonder who she takes after, with so many demands.”

Jade glanced at me as he adjusted his hold on Blanche. This time it was quite stable.

“That’s right, this is exactly what Shu Shu wanted.”

Blanche leaned back contentedly, seemingly much more comfortable.

“……How did you recognize it was me when I look like Diane? Was it because of Blanche?”

I found it strange that Jade recognized me and conversed naturally.

He shouldn’t know that Diane is dead.

“The scent of acacia was strong.”

Jade exhaled deeply.

“I told you before that you smell of acacia, Larien.”

He was certain it was me by smelling acacia even when I had the appearance of someone else?

It was just like Blanche, who recognized me by my scent.

‘I really need to be careful. If Jade discovers me in an unexpected situation……’

My skin prickled at the wolf’s keen sense of smell in addition to sharp hearing.

“Larien. How long are you going to stay in that form?”

“I’ll return to normal when I take off this pendant. I’ll remove it later when I meet Ayla.”

“Pendant?”

Jade stared at my neck, clearly visible due to my upswept hair.

“You’re still so cunning.”

Then he laughed happily. Though being cunning wasn’t funny at all.

“D-don’t look!”

I moved away, avoiding Jade’s heavy gaze.

“Larien. Come with me.”

He quickly caught up to me, widening his stride even faster.

“Marquis, why is Mommy acting like that? Did you make her angry?”

“No. She’s just very shy.”

“……Huh? Shu Shu doesn’t understand what you mean.”

I tried to ignore the conversation between Jade and Blanche.

‘What are you really saying to a child.’

A cold breeze brushed my nape, but for some reason I felt hot.

As we entered, Jade stared intently at Blanche’s bonnet.

“Aren’t you going to take it off?”

“Nope. Shu Shu is one with this. I absolutely can’t take it off. I mustn’t take it off!”

“……Why so serious over a single bonnet.”

I made an excuse to Jade, who had raised his eyebrows.

“Blanche loves wearing bonnets so much that she rarely takes them off even indoors.”

“She wasn’t wearing it yesterday.”

My heart chilled at Jade’s sharp observation.

“Blanche originally has a tendency to suddenly fixate on one thing.”

“She has unusual tastes. You also wore gloves indoors when you were young, Larien.”

“……I wore gloves indoors?”

“You were the first child to come wearing gloves, saying it was out of consideration for me.”

It was such an old memory that even I only recalled it belatedly. He remembered even the smallest details.

‘It was because Jade had a phobia that I wore gloves. Let’s not bother correcting him now.’

It was closer to a desperate attempt to befriend him and survive, rather than consideration.

‘It reminds me of when I first met Jade.’

I couldn’t help but smile at the memory of that day when even a handshake became possible with gloves on.

“If you want, I can wear gloves for you now too.”

Lost in memories, I tossed out a light joke.

“No. I prefer it when you touch me with bare skin.”

“Jade. Don’t say things that could be misunderstood if someone hears!”

Jade had made the atmosphere suggestive.

“How is it something that could be misunderstood if I say I feel good when your hand touches me?”

I nearly got caught up in Jade’s n

“I’ve been warning you since last time. In front of a child−”

Jade whispered softly in my ear.

“Then is it okay when it’s just the two of us?”

“……Just don’t. Whether two, three, or four people, keep such remarks to yourself from now on.”

After experiencing Sharlin’s hostility firsthand, I realized it would be better not to have conversations with Jade that could be seen as between a man and woman.

“Brother? What are you doing there?”

Hearing a puzzled voice, I looked up to see Ayla standing at the top of the stairs.

‘She said she’s already come of age.’

Unlike when she was a young girl, her face was now mature.

“The important guest coming today was…… Viscount Boston?”

Ayla’s short black hair swayed with each step as she came down.

‘She always said she liked hair down to her waist and would never change it…..’

Seeing Ayla with short hair for the first time felt unfamiliar.

“But what brings Viscount Boston here……”

I unfastened the pendant around my neck as I watched Ayla asking about the purpose of the visit.

Jade muttered that I had really returned as he looked at me.

“Sister?”

Ayla’s face turned deathly pale as she recognized me.

“……This can’t be. Brother, why has the Viscount become my sister? Sister died. In the fire…… But how are you in front of my eyes now……”

It was pitiful to see Ayla backing away in confusion.

‘I didn’t expect her to be this surprised.’

I should have explained a bit more before revealing myself.

“Are you playing a prank to tease me? It’s not funny at all, so stop it. I don’t know what’s going on, but Viscount, please stop now……”

I stretched out both arms, gesturing.

“……Have you been well? You’ve grown so much in just 5 years. Oh my. Now that your hair is short, I won’t be able to tie it up for you anymore.”

“Is it really…… Is it really you, sister? Is it really you?”

Ayla bit her lip hard, ran over, and hugged me in one breath.