The Duke, who was trailing off in his words, cocked his head, and then everyone, from the servants standing against the wall to the knights, left.

Olivia unwittingly looked after the servants with regretful eyes, but even the kind and sensitive chef Johan, the deliveryman Jensen who brought flowers to my room, and Hana quickly left the dining room.

With the door securely closed, Olivia only raised the corners of her mouth. Her mouth was a little dry even though she had tea.

“……”

“……”

Olivia said nothing, and the Duke was silent. Silence lingered over the dining room. When this quietness became a bit uncomfortable, Olivia slowly lowered her gaze.

“……There is nothing. Truly, there is nothing for Your Highness to help with.”

Olivia dodged the question ambiguously.

It was the Duke’s matter and a family matter. Even a war hero like the Duke could do nothing about it.

Olivia smiled faintly.

“If I ask for more, I would be too greedy. You’ve already made this place for me.”

If only I could keep receiving kindness like this. Sadly, Olivia knew the end of this dreamlike kindness.

Olivia slowly swallowed. Somewhere inside her throat felt as if it had been scratched.

“……In that sense, I will go back to the Duke’s residence tomorrow.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Usually, the dress and jewels arrive a day before.”

Olivia swallowed the bitterness. Reality was like that. A place that toppled you over while planting expectations.

I couldn’t inconvenience the Duke who had treated me so well. If I kept lingering here, neither the imperial family nor the Duke leading the emperor’s party might attack the Duke.

Olivia smiled mischievously.

“Now it’s my turn to repay. I told you, right? Madeleine is strong in grace.”

Madeleine. My surname, which I was once so proud of, felt awkward somehow. Olivia brushed it off with a laugh. But the Duke’s thin eyes looked somewhat uneasy.

“……Why do you keep looking like that?”

“What am I doing?”

“I don’t know why you look so angry.”

“It’s not anger but a lack of understanding. I told you to order me, but why are you holding back?”

Olivia clamped her mouth shut. The Duke, who had caught the flow, exhaled shortly.

Rubylike red eyes shone faintly.

“……As I told you, Miss, I am always one who harbors desire.”

A complex emotion crossed over the face of the Duke, who said this. A man who seemed to have been crafted by gathering all the beauty of the gods looked at Olivia and smiled.

“At a moment when I was always thirsting for the most precious thing, I met you.”

A sluggish gaze slowly turned towards Olivia. Silvery cold silver hair, slender shoulders, tightly clenched hands turned white, and lastly, green eyes scorned as if a trace of indifference.

It was strange. Why would that man consider me precious?

It was a moment when our eyes met. Olivia unknowingly swallowed. It seemed like those always kindly smiling eyes were desperately clinging to me.

At that moment, the Duke extended his hand to Olivia, and spoke with an earnest voice, as if wringing it out.

“Please tell me then.”

“……”

“What you want the most.”

Olivia couldn’t breathe.

The truth is.

The truth is, she didn’t want to go back.

Once she realized it, things she had endured burst forth. All the things she had reassured herself were fine, the buried emotions, exploded.

Being confined to the role of Princess Madeline and the Crown Prince’s fiancée was hard.

It was also bothersome to replace the duties of the princess.

The sharp words of the Empress and the slander towards her in social circles too.

But above all,

Looking at the family who don’t look back at me, the back of Leopold, who doesn’t love, was difficult.

Carrying on my sincere unrequited love was becoming too hard.

Olivia looked at the man.

Looking at those red eyes that seemed to know everything, she felt like she could suddenly burst into tears.

Why would the Duke just wait for my decision like that, always informing me only of the final decisions?

That desperation continued to shake Olivia.

And finally,

Olivia muttered with a hoarse voice,

“…Can you help me the way I want?”

“Miss.”

The Duke licked his lips, seeming regretful. A somewhat provocative look glanced over Olivia’s lips.

“I keep telling you. I’m always ready for you, Miss.”

The last day of the victory celebration. Grand tunes flowed in the magnificently decorated banquet hall. Large brass instruments resonated with the thumping of drums.

The Duke of Madeline, frowning at the headspinning dance music, stiffened his lips.

“His Highness the Crown Prince is here.”

“It’s been a while, Duke. Are you well?”

Leopold spoke arrogantly. Leopold, dressed in bright gold and blue royal attire, squinted his eyes.

“No, how can I be well? There’s a rampant rumor that my fiancée has disappeared.”

The Duke’s eyes turned cold. Leopold was the same, his face openly revealing dry irritation as he faced the Duke.

“……She’s not an irresponsible child.”