Berny suggested a good solution as if it were nothing. Double the welcome. While the maids’ eyes twinkled again, Berny approached Olivia.

It was clear that her teasing would start again by just looking at her steps.

“Leave the farewell, young lady. You must always remember that even if you are busy, you must always finish one plate of your meal. I wrote a letter to Sobel too…”

“When you go to the banquet, you should remember to wear all the jewels. Berny.”

It was a saying I had heard more than twenty times. Now, even though she was repeating it so many times, Berny’s face still didn’t look relieved.

Olivia grinned and looked around at everyone in the room. These were the people who worried about the change of bedding when I declared I was going to the protocol.
“I will miss you.”

It was sincere. Whether it’s Sobel, Masah, or Hae-na, even if they meet the welcoming faces at the Grand Palace, this Bicander would always be missed.

Berny, who had a regretful expression, approached and tightly embraced Olivia.

“It would be best if you come quickly, but…”

After a brief silence, Berny continued.

“…If you need anything, please send a letter anytime. I’ll fly right away.”

Olivia looked at her warmly and smiled.

Thanks to her, Olivia didn’t know.

The simultaneous widening of the eyes of the maids who heard Berny’s words.

After the departure of the former Grand Duchess, Berny, who had never left Bicander once, knew how big of a decision it was.

It was a pitch-dark dawn.

The procession of carriages lined up in front of the Grand Duchy began to depart. Servants who couldn’t break their oath lit candles in their respective rooms instead of the entrance and saw off the carriage procession.

Even in the darkness, the Grand Duchy shone brightly with lights.

In the front carriage, Olivia couldn’t take her eyes off the window.

They said not to send off. I didn’t know I would miss them so much. I felt this fluttering in my heart even when I left the Grand Duchy last time.

If it were a summer festival, it would have continued for about two weeks. Even if we consider the time to go and come back, it would be a generous month.

Converted to dates, it was longer than I thought.

Olivia’s eyes looking at the Grand Duchy got slightly moist. The carriage that reached the gate separating the inside and outside of the Grand Duchy stopped for a moment.

Usually, it would have stopped without hesitation and gone out right away, but today, for some reason, the gate was tightly closed.

“How.”

When a gentle voice was heard, Olivia smiled.

“Shall we turn the carriage around?”

Edwin asked with a grin.

He knew very well what worries were hidden in that question. So Olivia looked at Edwin with tearful eyes.

“No, absolutely not. I packed luggage for a month in just one day.”

“Again. Olivia, because you looked at the Grand Duchy so affectionately, I almost misunderstood. I’m here to be seen with such eyes.”

A languid voice touched Olivia’s heart. Olivia avoided his gaze and murmured.

“But, this time, there wasn’t even time to use the cards.”

“To whom?”

“Well…”

Olivia unconsciously turned around and looked at the Grand Duchy. But when she looked forward again.

Whoosh.

At the same time as the gate opened, small lights flickered above the darkness. Olivia, who blinked, wondering what light was in this dim dawn, stared blankly at the small figures standing there.

People holding small lights stood as far as the eye could see.

The carriage started moving slowly.

“I made a mistake, Olivia. I told you not to send off only to the people of the Grand Duchy.”

“But, it’s too early in the morning now.”
She couldn’t believe it. In the moment when faces became clear in the light, Olivia unconsciously clenched her fist.

Edwin’s voice, a mix of laughter and sighs, murmured as if in pain.

“Maybe you didn’t know for sure, but now you should know. How much this Bicander loves you.”

The sweet and intense anticipation was cruelly fulfilled.

Even if she tried to press it hard to hold onto it, the overflowing happiness continued to stay by Olivia’s side.

From the bright lights of the Grand Duchy bidding her farewell to the people lining the streets, children to adults, and even those with green eyes.

People standing on both sides of the road waved their hands toward the carriage, or more precisely, towards Olivia, with bright smiles.

Is it okay for the heart to beat this fast? Even though her fingertips were trembling, she held hands.

“Take care, Miss.”

When a lively voice was thrown as if waiting, countless farewells that had been suppressed here and there poured out.

“You must come back quickly!”

“Make sure to visit our store again!”

Bicander, which had been quiet in the dawn, became lively again, just like when Olivia was welcomed for the first time.

From the moment Olivia, who had been waving her hands tirelessly towards the outside, reached the protective wall of Bicander, she murmured softly.

Edwin, who had been concentrating all his senses on Olivia, understood that the two small syllables meant ‘cards’ and raised his eyebrows. Then, he burst into laughter at Olivia’s tearful protest.

“You did well not to use it. When would you use all these cards for the many people in Bicander?”

Finally, the carriage completely left Bicander when the sun revealed itself.

“Take care!”

At the voice echoing over the wall, Olivia tried to lean out of the window but was startled.

“It’s dangerous to go outside the carriage no matter how regretful it is.”

The voice ringing in her ears was tempting.

“You were going to catch me, Edwin.”

“Did you know that?”

“I didn’t.”

Edwin’s eyes, seemingly pleased, softened. Olivia shrugged and chuckled.

“Why?”

“It’s fun. Believing that you would catch me if I fall, firmly convinced that you would come to find me if I get lost. This is exactly…”

Like a mom.

To be precise, he now felt like someone I could endlessly trust and love.

Suddenly, Olivia realized the existence of the string anklet tied around her ankle. Come to think of it, she hadn’t given Edwin the anklet as a gift because she was busy with work.

Reading her thoughts, Edwin followed Olivia’s words.

“What exactly?”

“Like Berny? Just a little longer…”

Would you fix my bed for me?
Feeling that adding a joke might create a strange atmosphere, Olivia closed her mouth.

Edwin, who had been looking at Olivia with an indescribable gaze, answered with a smirk.

“Well, you know. Sometimes Olivia feels like a girl about to make her debut.”

“Wow…”

Olivia was momentarily at a loss for words.

She knew it was a joke, but her pride was oddly hurt. Edwin kissed her cheek, hugged her, and even planted a kiss on her wrist.

Despite knowing the meaning, Olivia was drawn into this playful provocation as if enchanted.

“Why do you see me so young? At the ripe age of twenty?”

“Well.”

Edwin’s eyes, which had been tenderly smiling, darkened for a moment.

And then.

“Every time I’m like this, I think it’s because I turn into bunny eyes?”

A soft voice echoed in her ears.

Thump, thump. Her heart fell and rose to the sky again. The vision in front of her became faint. The only thing visible was Edwin in front of her.