“Was it difficult? Warping without a break. It would have been good to take a day off if it weren’t for this place.”

“Ah…”

Just as she was about to open her mouth to answer his question, she suddenly felt the carriage’s engine stop.

It was a warp.

And when she opened her eyes, Bianca had returned to that all-white place.

Bianca, walking along with Jillian, who got off the carriage, concluded her unfinished answer.

“No. It’s good to be back home. I’m most comfortable in Ballock.”

“…….”

“It’s my home.”

At the end of her words, Bianca extended her hand.

“Aren’t you going to hug me? I’m wearing shoes like that day, so it’s hard to walk.”

At Bianca’s uncharacteristically cheeky words, Jillian eventually burst into laughter.

More brightly than ever, he opened his arms willingly and swept Bianca into his embrace.

“Anytime you wish.”

“Let’s go. Home.”

Bianca, holding Jillian’s neck with both arms, rested her head on his shoulder.

During the moment of being embraced, all kinds of emotions surged and disappeared.

Among them, the most intense was desperation.

When winter comes.

When spring comes.

Bianca realized at Huang Sheng that the things she had counted while waiting for the seasons could break at any moment.

The Emperor remained unchanged.

In Silas Ballock’s mind, Sailor Ballock had long been erased.

What remained was an instinctive hostility towards Ballock.

Why did he want to manipulate Ballock so badly, if not for the satisfaction of showing off his power and trying to fill his own inadequacy?

Seeing that he confidently called Huang Sheng during the wave, he would probably target them more actively once the third wave was over.

This was not an expectation but a certainty.

And when such a thing happened, the first and most frequent target would be ‘Bianca’—the one who was erased from Huang Sheng, whose existence was not properly proven.

She needed to find a way.

A way to escape from the grip of the imperial family.

With her hand on his neck, Bianca vowed repeatedly.

She must escape and speak.

How not to get caught.

As soon as they got off the carriage, Juliet, Haley, and Raphin greeted them.

“Did you lose half of your face to the world?”

“It must have been hard on a long journey.”

“Has everything been resolved? You came back earlier than expected.”

“Yes, it’s all settled. After all, we’re in the middle of a wave.”
“Has everything been resolved from the journey? Still, you came back earlier than expected.”

“Yeah, it’s all settled. After all, we’re in the middle of a wave.”

Bianca passed by Juliet, who cheerfully extended her hand to me, and told Haley to leave the ‘baggage’ in its place.

“Madam.”

“You, go inside and rest. I distinctly remember telling you not to move until I’m completely healed.”

“But how can you just keep lying down?”

“What’s wrong with that? I have the right to receive proper treatment. That’s right, Jillian.”

“Of course.”

Juliet’s mouth, which was playfully coquettish like a duck’s beak, stopped abruptly.

“If your body is uncomfortable, you should think about recovering properly and working, rather than seeking sympathy in that way. It’s definitely a nuisance.”

Jillian criticized Juliet mercilessly.

Of course, he probably said it in hopes that Juliet would rest soon, but even Bianca, who wasn’t the person in question, felt a little uneasy due to Jillian’s firm tone.

However, if she said something like, “The words are a bit harsh,” Juliet probably wouldn’t be lying down now.

So, Bianca took a determined stance and nodded at Jillian’s words.

“You’re right. Did you hear that, Juliet? Go and recover properly. I have Haley and the Duke, so there won’t be a problem even if you’re not around for a while.”

“Madam.”

Juliet seemed quite disappointed, as the tip of her nose turned red, and she sniffled.

She was already a small child.

Watching her struggling made one involuntarily feel sympathy.

Bianca quickly averted her gaze because she might get entangled if she looked too closely.

“If you understand, go and take care of your body.”

“…Yes.”

Realizing that there was no room for further discussion, Juliet sniffled and stepped back.

Raphin seemed to be consoling her, which was somewhat reassuring.

“…Madam is right. Focus on recovery. Soon, the Duke will have to go out to suppress the wave. This time, Haley might have to go too.”

“Got it.”

“Don’t keep wandering around. Rest properly.”

“I got it. Am I an idiot? Why do you keep repeating the same thing? Do you think this is a chance for me because I’m a bit sick?”

Raphin’s eloquence was not excellent.

Therefore, faced with Juliet’s forced words, he was more flustered than anything.

“It’s not like that.”

“If it’s not like that, then what is it? Why can’t you answer? Did you really look down on me so lightly?”

“Oh, no.”

“Then explain. Or just say something, why do you keep stuttering?”

“Well, sorry. Anyway, it’s not like that; I was just worried.”

“Who’s worrying about whom now? Sympathizing with me? Right now, me?”

Goodness.

The conversation between the two moving away was a complete mess.

Normally, I would have cut in appropriately, but right now, I was too tired.

And I also thought that Raphin needed some real practice.

“I’ll be careful.”

Knowing that she cared, Haley whispered softly.

“No, Juliet is probably upset, so Raphin will probably accommodate her feelings. Let them work it out.”

“Your kindness is truly admirable.”

Bianca suddenly realized that she had returned home.

To the Ballock Duchy that sees her as ‘Bianca.’

Whooosh.

The wind, blowing with a force incomparable to the capital, slapped Bianca’s cheeks as if to awaken her.

In an instant, her chin became numb, and the wind was cold enough to make her eyeballs tingle.

But strangely enough, she welcomed it.

She had unknowingly come to love this desolate white land.

“Let’s go together, Jillian.”

From the moment Jillian and the others approached, ready to pour out words, Jillian kept his distance.

It might have been considerate of the time he spent with me, knowing that we were close, but who knows.

The figure standing alone made Bianca’s heart ache more than anything.

“Let’s walk a little faster, Haley.”

“Yes, Madam.”

Bianca briskly increased her pace, taking care of Haley as well.
I didn’t want to leave the man who had always been alone in my house alone.

He understands that the meaning of ‘someone’s warmth’ is different from his own.

To me, who was always lonely in the imperial city, Julian’s offer was a ‘salvation.’

I have no power to save him.

However, Bianca thought.

Since he is already perfect, even if he is just a small warmth by his side, if he is willing.

He might be lonely like herself.

Wouldn’t that be enough?

Bianca quickly caught up with Julian, slipping her fist into his waiting arm.

The arm that went around her felt straight and sturdy.

A flimsy fist that would fall off if he lightly shook it.

However, Julian had an unbelievably happy expression at just that level of trust.

“Be careful. You might fall.”

Does the man whispering worried words know?

What kind of expression she is making right now.

Bianca looked at herself in the man’s arms and smiled back.

The brightest smile she could muster.

Just like he did.

“Catch me if I fall.”

“Of course.”

“Even if it doesn’t snow?”

“Of course.”

“For a lifetime?”

However, there was no returning answer.

For a moment, her spine tensed.