There was no answer, so I should have gone back, but it was the maids who manage the bedrooms in the early morning who found the room.

The maids quietly entering the room soon noticed us and paused.

Then, as if they had seen something they shouldn’t have, they were startled and flustered, apologizing.

“We’re, we’re sorry…! We thought you were still asleep since there was no answer…”

“We will come back later…!”

I wondered why they reacted that way, then realized.

Ah. Our current state was a mess.

First of all, Reus’s navy blue robe was not tied properly, revealing most of his upper body. And… as if I had been pulling on it all night, the robe was crumpled all over, even in places it shouldn’t be.

Moreover, Reus looked extremely fatigued, unlike his usual self, due to being troubled by me in a different sense.

My situation was not much different.

The robe I was wearing was somehow lying under me, and the slip’s straps had slid down, completely exposing my shoulders. Not only my face but also my neck and shoulders were all red and flushed.

I also realized for the first time.

When embarrassed, not only the face and ears but also the neck and shoulders turn completely red.

Like this, doesn’t it seem as if we were caught doing something bad!

‘It’s not what it looks like…!’

As I closed my eyes, feeling the shame rushing back, I heard the sound of the door closing with a click.

Only then did Reus let go of me, as if he had finished his business. Finally free, I almost ran away from the bed and dashed into the bathroom.

* * *

I stared blankly at the small dessert plate in front of me.

The round, light green ice cream served on a small, transparent dessert plate.

“This is the melon ice cream prepared as per the Grand Duke’s orders.”

“……”

Just when I had barely forgotten the disgraceful existence not in my memory. Seeing the light green ice cream, the shame seemed to be rushing back.

The head chef’s face looked somehow moved, making it difficult for me to say to take it away. Reus also told me not to refuse and to eat it quickly.

“Didn’t you spend all night looking for it?”

“……”

I almost failed to control my expression and make a sad face.

Aware of the gazes directed at Reus and me, I quickly raised the corners of my mouth as much as possible and slowly nodded my head.

Since it has come to this, let’s quickly eat the ice cream and get it out of sight.

As I was busily moving my hands to finish the ice cream, Reus called out to me again.

“How about taking a stroll in the east garden after the meal?”

It was the gentle voice of a caring husband suggesting a walk.

However, even if others saw him that way, the Reus I knew would never be the type to leisurely walk in the garden.

Although I still couldn’t understand the reason, at the moment, it was more important to appear as a happy wife rather than trying to figure out the reason, so I smiled as brightly as possible.

“I’d love to, Reus.”

Leaving the castle, we walked arm in arm more intimately than any other couple, heading towards the maze garden in the east.

The reason for maintaining the act even after successfully completing the wedding was because of the servants working in the Grand Duke’s castle.

The maid who just bowed to us could be a skilled spy, and among the servants managing the lawn over there, someone could be the eyes and ears of a certain person.

Currently, the only ones who knew about the contract between Reus and me were the contracting parties, Reus and myself, and the aide, Dwin.

The conclusion was that this ridiculous husband and wife act was not going to end until this marriage was over.

As we walked, exchanging words we didn’t even mean, we soon arrived at the entrance of the maze garden on the east side of the Grand Duke’s castle.

The landscaped shrubs forming the maze garden towered much higher than even Reus, who had a large stature. Moreover, being located far from the buildings, it felt like the perfect place for a secret rendezvous.

Reus led me and naturally entered the maze garden.

As we went deeper into the maze, the noise gradually faded away, and when Reus stopped walking, only the occasional sound of the wind brushing through the grass could be heard.

Soon, a voice quite different from the attentive one directed at me a moment ago flowed into my ears.

“Today, I’m going to tell you about the witness I promised you.”

‘The witness…’

The person who saw me in the Forest of Silence on the night we were heading to Anas?

“That person is part of my plan, and from the moment you find out their identity, whether you want it or not, you also become part of my plan. Do you understand what I mean?”

Part of the plan.

He sure knows how to sugarcoat his words. The fact that Reus’s so-called plan is a rebellion doesn’t change, so he’s basically saying that my existence can be eliminated at any time if threatened.

But my answer was already set.

It’s not like I can turn back my choice now, and there’s nowhere to run and return to.

“I have… no regrets about my choice.”

“Even if it means destroying the Evelle family.”

I don’t know why he’s suddenly reminding me of that fact again when he had already said it before proposing this absurd contract.

“It was my choice to participate in it.”

“Knowing how far I will go.”

If I recall the half-crazed villain Reus from the original story, there’s no need to think deeply about the end of the Evelle family.

‘A year later, my father will be in my situation.’

A worthless life with nothing to his name.

Honestly, it would be a lie to say I don’t feel uncomfortable.

I don’t know about sympathy for Feria and Briella… but when I think of my father, I feel a shallow pang of conscience.

Even though my father was a bystander and another perpetrator, the fact that he is my biological father…

Just recalling my father’s usual self is enough to make me determined to take revenge.

I consciously listed the reasons why I had to participate in the revenge.

“No matter what you do to Evelle… I won’t regret my choice. I’ve made up my mind to do so.”

“Good to know you’re sure.”

Reus stepped aside as if to say I could go ahead now. As I was about to head towards the center of the maze garden ahead of Reus…

“Roel.”

“Yes?”

“Even if you’ve decided that way, you should know. I’m not as lenient as you think I am.”

I don’t know what his intention is in saying that, but I brushed it off and took another step.

Turning the corner, the center of the garden connecting all the paths appeared. The reflection of a figure briefly appeared in the stream of water flowing from the ivory-colored fountain in the middle.

The back of a man. A person with a build as sturdy as Reus.

But it’s strange. Even before properly seeing the man’s face, I feel a strange familiarity.

‘Where have I seen that back before?’

The white shirt that seemed to have a decent fit, the slightly rough-textured black pants, and the military walker all seemed familiar somehow.

I kept walking in a state of doubt. Soon, the man turned around.

The slightly unkempt brown hair swayed a little. The moment my gaze met the sharp, light brown eyes underneath, a few scenes that had been sleeping in the depths of my memory came to mind.

“Huh…?”

At my foolish reaction, the man laughed heartily. Then the memories became a little clearer.

‘Anas. Right… I saw that man in Anas.’

When Uncle Haven was away, the man who sometimes guarded the cottage in his place.

Despite his fierce impression, the man smiled brightly, raising the corners of his mouth in a way that didn’t suit him.

“Looks like you remember. We’re acquaintances, aren’t we?”

Uncle Haven seemed to be strangers with Reus, so how does he know this man who is just an employee?

As I was throwing all sorts of questions in my head, the man spoke again.

“That guy behind you. I have a pretty deep connection with him. You could say we’ve been on the same boat for a long time. I can say this much, right?”

Reus, who had been slowly following behind me, was now right behind me. I looked up at Reus as if asking for an explanation.

Then Reus said as if it was no big deal.

“He’s the Anas Guild Master.”

“…What?”

Blinking my eyes, I turned my gaze back to the brown-haired man.

The man, whose eyes met mine, smiled brightly.

I can count on one hand the times I’ve encountered that man, but every time we met, we had a conversation.

Contrary to his fierce first impression, he had a personality that easily laughed and gained favor… I had no doubt that he was just an ordinary employee.

‘That person was the Anas Guild Master?’

The rumors that the owner of Anas was a veteran who had been in the war for a long time, or that it was the hobby of some very skilled nobleman, or that he had a tremendous secret of birth and was backed by someone of a very high status… they were all just rumors.

The identity of the guild master was an ordinary man whose face was not known. Of course, his appearance didn’t look very ordinary.

“I didn’t expect to see you like this here either.”

The man suddenly reached out his hand, and I hastily grabbed it.

“I know your name. The Evelle family’s… Roen? Roel? I think that was it.”

The man smiled brightly as if he was proud to have remembered my name.

“My name is, well, as I said last time, Teron.”

It was surprising enough that the person I thought was an employee turned out to be the Anas Guild Master, but even his name was real, not an alias.

‘What the…’

Regardless of my bewilderment, Teron shook my hand vigorously as if he was really happy to see me again.

“If I had known we would be connected like this, I would have become friends with you earlier. Right?”