The sky was turning red as the sunset approached.

‘When… did it get this late?’

I was surprised to have slept so long when I had only meant to take a short nap.

Although it wasn’t particularly late, I still wasn’t used to the sun setting earlier than in Rukah.

“Munch munch… Sweet, so sweet.”

“Blanche.”

Blanche was slightly awake, constantly chewing her lips.

“Blanche. Time to wake up, isn’t it?”

When I gently shook her awake, Blanche curled up, seemingly not wanting to open her eyes.

“Mama, Shu Shu needs to eat macarons in her dream. Let me sleep a little longer…”

Saying she was eating macarons, she pulled the blanket over her entire body.

There was an easy way to wake her up at times like this.

“If you get up now, I’ll give you real macarons. How about that?”

“Macarons!”

Blanche immediately kicked off the blanket and sat up in one motion.

“Mama, are you really going to give Shu Shu macarons?”

“If you want to eat them in your dream, you can go back to sleep.”

“No! Shu Shu won’t sleep anymore. I’m completely awake now.”

The drowsiness that had been all over her face just moments ago was nowhere to be seen.

“Let’s eat macarons quickly! Shu Shu wants to eat all that’s left in the box!”

“Blanche. Didn’t you promise Mama you’d only eat one macaron?”

“One is too few, Shu Shu wants to eat lots of macarons…”

Blanche pouted her lips and frowned, then clapped her hands.

“Oh right, you said you’d give Shu Shu strawberry and blueberry flavored macarons.”

“Mama did…?”

“When the Earl came! Mama definitely said so. Shu Shu didn’t eat them then, so can I have two now?”

I searched my memory at Blanche’s confident demand.

‘Ah. That’s right, I remember now.’

I did say we’d eat macarons to console her when the block castle she built collapsed and she cried.

“Mama, don’t tell me you forgot you said you’d give Shu Shu macarons? That’s too much!”

Blanche puffed up her cheeks with air and scolded me.

She looked like a squirrel diligently storing food in its cheeks to eat later.

“Blanche. Are you upset because Mama forgot?”

“Hmph.”

Even when poked, she wouldn’t easily deflate her cheeks.

Perhaps because I had limited them due to concerns about cavities, Blanche was particularly fond of macarons like this.

I wondered if it was because I ate the macarons Jade brought me deliciously when I was pregnant with her.

“How could you forget that. Mama said you should keep your promises.”

I hadn’t said I’d give her macarons later, and I had learned from parenting books I read before that you shouldn’t let children do everything they want.

“…In exchange, I’ll give you two if you chew your food well and eat it all. You can’t fill up on macarons.”

But I couldn’t resist Blanche’s expectant look as she swallowed her saliva.

“Mama is the best! Shu Shu loves you the most in the whole world!”

Blanche’s expression brightened again as she jumped up on the bed. Could she really be that happy?

“Blanche, it’s dangerous, so don’t jump.”

“Hehe, okay! Shu Shu won’t jump!”

She hummed a tune, excited at the thought of eating macarons.

I briefly contemplated whether I should have dinner with Earl Boston, who had said he wanted to be alone.

‘I should probably ask him at least once.’

As I went downstairs, Earl Boston was just coming out of the study.

The servants were busily moving luggage bags outside.

“Uncle, where are you going?”

“You’re awake, Larien, ahem.”

Earl Boston cleared his throat.

“I’m planning to stay in Rukah for a while.”

“Rukah? Is something wrong with the trading company?”

“No, not that. I’m just going until my cold gets better. I can’t pass it on to you and Blanche.”

“Uncle, we’ll be fine, so you don’t need to worry so much about us.”

“No, Larien. The air is warmer in Rukah, so it’ll be better for me to stay there.”

I didn’t try to stop him further, as recovering in the warm Rukah would likely improve his condition quickly.

“Grandfather, can’t you stay with Shu Shu? We can eat macarons together and play. Shu Shu wants to be with Grandfather…”

Blanche clung to Earl Boston’s leg.

“Blanche, when Grandfather comes back healthy, we’ll definitely eat macarons together and play a lot.”

Earl Boston gently soothed Blanche, who was throwing a tantrum not to leave, stroking her hair.

“Okay! Promise Shu Shu!”

“Of course. Next time I see you, our Blanche will have grown taller. Let’s see, will you grow up to Grandfather’s waist?”

Earl Boston estimated how tall Blanche would grow.

“I’ll grow even more than that!”

“Then, you’ll have to eat well and sleep well. If you’ve grown a lot when I see you next time, Grandfather will have to give you a present.”

“It’s a promise, Grandfather! Let’s meet in good health next time!”

He linked pinky fingers with Blanche.

“Then let’s go to the Venice port together.”

“There’s no need to go to that trouble.”

“Then you must contact us often by communication orb when you’re in Rukah.”

“Alright, I will. It’s cold, so hurry inside.”

Pushed back inside by Earl Boston, I couldn’t follow him to the Venice port and returned to the room.

“Mama, macarons!”

At Blanche’s urging, I took out the box of macarons from on top of the tea cabinet.

“Blanche, what flavor do you want to eat?”

“Two blueberry flavored ones! No, I want vanilla and strawberry too, what should I do…”

Blanche hesitated for a long time, unable to decide easily.

“Mama, Shu Shu will have one strawberry and one blueberry.”

After serious deliberation, she chose one strawberry and one blueberry macaron and ate them enthusiastically.

“Is it that delicious?”

As I wiped the crumbs from around her mouth, Blanche, who was smiling at me, dropped her macaron.

“Blanche, what’s wrong?”

“Mama, the Marquis is on the balcony.”

I turned my head towards the balcony Blanche was pointing at, and Jade was indeed standing there.

‘I told him not to watch from the roof, and now he’s climbed onto the balcony.’

I sighed in exasperation and opened the balcony door.

“Jade. Can’t you come in normally for once?”

Jade, entering the room, narrowed his eyes.

“Larien, why did you leave without saying anything?”

“Th-that…”

Remembering last night’s events, I felt awkward looking at him and averted my gaze.

“Yesterday you tied your hair, and today… you’ve let it down.”

“…”

Meeting my gaze, Jade spoke with a pause in the middle.

“To hide the mark on your neck?”

“You, you. You left that on purpose! Do you know how much trouble that caused me?”

“That way you won’t forget like last time.”

Blanche rolled her eyes, looking back and forth between Jade and me.

“Mama, wasn’t it a bee sting? Why does the Marquis say he left it?”

She hadn’t forgotten my excuse about being stung by a bee and was now suspicious.

“…Blanche. Mama was just confused for a moment. It was a bee sting.”

“That’s right, a really strong bee! It hurts when you get stung, so be careful too, Marquis!”

Jade ran his palm over his face at Blanche’s concerned warning.

The corners of his mouth that weren’t covered were turned up.

“Jade, are you laughing, right now…?”

Now he was laughing openly and loudly.

It was rare to see Jade smile so brightly.

‘I can’t even scold him…’

It was a bright smile that quickly melted away any feelings of annoyance.

Blanche put a whole macaron in her mouth and swallowed it eagerly.

“Marquis, why did you come?”

“We need to go to the tailor to have your dress for the wedding made in the same design as Ayla’s.”

“Really? Shu Shu is so happy! Auntie’s dress was so pretty!”

Blanche hastily tied her hair and put on her bonnet, ready to go right away.

“It’s too late now, so let’s go to the tailor another time.”

“There’s only a month left until the wedding. We don’t have much time, so we need to go now to have it made in time.”

“Then we’ll have to take a carriage. Jade. Will you be okay?”

Jade, who was uncomfortable with carriages, didn’t ride them unless it was for a social gathering where he’d be the center of attention.

When he was very young, he couldn’t even ride them or had hyperventilated.

For Jade, carriages were a space with no good memories.

“…I’ll be fine.”

Despite saying this, Jade nodded after taking a delayed breath.

As we boarded the carriage, the driver dropped the reins and suddenly started before we could sit down.

“…Larien!”

My body swayed to the side and I fell into Jade’s chest as if embracing him.

In an instant, I found myself in a strange position, inhaling his scent.

I felt like I was going crazy with embarrassment.

As I tried to get up by grabbing his shoulders, I could feel his sturdy build.

“It’s dangerous, so stay like this for a moment.”

Jade reached out his fingers and tucked my hair in, enveloping it.

His cold hands trembled slightly.

I was surprised that he checked on me first when he must have been startled too, and couldn’t speak properly.

“Mama?”

Hearing Blanche’s voice near my ear, I moved away from Jade, sat in my seat, and carefully examined her.

“Blanche. Are you hurt anywhere?”

“Shu Shu is fine, but the Marquis doesn’t look okay.”

Looking at Jade again, the color had drained from his face, leaving him looking chilly.

‘I didn’t know he would unconsciously protect me first.’

In the carriage, Jade was immersed in the memory of his parents’ accident and couldn’t breathe properly.

He inhaled unsteadily, as if he still hadn’t escaped that memory.

“Jade, should we go back if you’re feeling very unwell?”

“…Larien, you don’t need to worry about me.”

He closed his eyes, clenching his fists as if trying to control his anxiety.

Jade twisted his body to lean against the window with his eyes closed.

“Marquis, are you sleepy?”

“…No.”

“Then why are your eyes closed?”

“Because I don’t want to open them.”

“Why?”

Blanche, sitting on my lap, bombarded Jade with persistent questions.

“…Because I’m not feeling well.”

I couldn’t help but smile as I watched Jade answer each of Blanche’s questions, despite seeming annoyed.