Her real name was unknown, but the woman who called herself Jane. Despite searching in every possible way, the woman seemed to have disappeared without a trace.

It seemed like he had found the cause of the strange sense he felt when he saw her that day.

However…

“What is this uneasy feeling?”

He felt like he was missing another important piece of information.

“What on earth could it be?”

As Velige continued to ponder, attempting to recall the crucial clue he had missed, a fragment of memory buried in his chest emerged like a lightning bolt.

“…Lina.”

Yes, even for a very brief moment, he had doubted whether that woman and Lina were the same person.

That night.

After encountering that woman in the human trafficking gang’s carriage, he was enveloped in an inexplicable feeling.

‘The voices sounded similar.’
Barely with a voice even remotely similar, she rushed to the mansion like a madman for that reason. However, as if mocking such a self, Lina was peacefully sleeping in bed.

Velige chuckled, letting out laughter as if ridiculing herself from that day. However, soon her lips stiffened with the memories that emerged.

Being under the blanket for a long time made her skin feel cold.

When she recalled that day, her forehead wrinkled.

She sensed something strange but hadn’t asked or investigated, burying the questions from that night deep in her heart.

Velige raised her right hand and stared at it for a long time. A subtle but peculiar sensation still lingered in her fingertips.

It was the familiarity that always comforted her mind.

‘And this familiarity is like…’

However, Velige shook her head, denying what had come to mind.

“What am I even thinking?”
Perhaps, could it be another side effect of Alkinto? In the illusion of fading judgment, he chuckled while washing his face with his hands.

Completely different people turning out to be the same person. What absurdity is this?

To dispel unnecessary thoughts, he rose from the bed.

“Ugh.”

Although many wounds had healed, they were still painful due to their size.

But staying here in pain was not an option. Lawrence and Philip were probably eagerly searching for him by now.

Velige cautiously started putting on the clothes placed beside her. Right at that moment when she was about to step out.

Outside the door, she felt someone’s presence.

‘Who could it be.’

Perhaps an assassin chasing her? The Duke picked up the knife placed at his bedside and cautiously approached the door.

Creak[Dash].

As he carefully opened the door, a chilling sound came from the old door. He moved cautiously towards where he felt the Duke’s presence.

Tak[Dash].

From the room next to the kitchen, a sound of something falling could be heard.

Suppressing the sound of footsteps, Velige approached the front of the room without hesitation and opened the door. Then, she raised her sword to the owner of the presence in the room.

“You…”

The moment he saw the woman standing at the tip of the sword, he almost dropped the knife.

A woman with silver hair and a starflower eye that he had been searching for a long time. As he held the knife, she stared at him with enlarged eyes.

For a moment, there was a silent stillness in the sea where the waves had been crashing violently.

The woman who had been dominating his mind.

When the Duke faced her. Once again, an absurd thought began to permeate his mind.

Could this woman be Lina, whom he had been desperately searching for……

Such an absurd thought.

Despite the calm appearance, his mind was in turmoil like a storm. He desperately wanted to grab her and ask if she was Lina.

‘Not yet.’

Rushing to question her hastily could lead to unpredictable consequences.

The woman who had hidden her appearance in an instant. Moreover, the memory of the day they first met seemed to have been erased as if deliberately cut out.

Because of that, Velige began to act as if she were seeing the woman for the first time.
Then, the woman who seemed slightly relieved suddenly placed the soup in front of him.

Dalkak[Dash].

In a voice quite different from back then, she spoke.

“It’s hot, be careful.”

As she stirred the watery vegetable soup with a spoon, the steam was rising. What should he say?

Unconsciously, he started to sip the soup, and before he knew it, the bowl was empty.

“Would you like a little more?”

She looked pleased that he was eating well.

“Yes, please.”

“Sure.”

It was rather cute the way she scooped the soup while humming.

Exactly…

“You’ve…… Oops!”

It was when Velige unintentionally thought of Lina. The woman hurried and tripped over something.

Jjeonggeurang[Dash].

With a breaking sound, hot soup and fragments of the bowl splattered in all directions.

“What on earth is this? Are you hurt anywhere…”

Surprised, Velige approached the woman to ask if she was injured.

“I-I’m sorry. What should I do? The bowl…”

She seemed oblivious to her burnt hand and was helplessly staring at the broken bowl.

Then, using her injured hand, she reached out to remove the sharp-edged broken pieces.

Tak[Dash].

“What are you doing right now?”

“I need to clean this up quickly…”

Ha.

Velige, who was astounded by her actions, let out a short breath.

“Why are you making such a big deal out of a broken bowl…!”

Velige, who was about to scold her, suddenly closed his mouth with a stern expression.

In an instant, a familiar memory flashed in his mind.