Summer, having finished her preparations, leisurely headed towards the beautiful place she had in mind.

The walking path was covered in fresh green sprouts, and the chirping of birds could be heard here and there.

The air was slightly cool yet cozy. Daisy and Mary followed closely behind Summer, carrying a basket of snacks.

Occasionally, Summer glanced back at the two following her and smirked.

‘How cute.’

Perhaps because she was in a good mood thinking about going back. Summer felt the whole world was beautiful.

Yes. There are many ways. Summer suddenly stopped in her tracks.

“You two set up the picnic here. I’ll look around some more.”

Daisy and Mary unpacked, spreading out a light tea table and a large cloth to sit and rest on the field.

Summer gazed at them fondly before turning away.

‘Goodbye.’

The place Summer headed to was the lake of the Lindsey County, famous for its beauty.

Leaving Daisy and Mary behind, Summer fingered the necklace around her neck. This jewel was a communication device that only Fei and Summer could use.

Fei’s clear voice flowed from the necklace.

In an empire without mobile phones, this would have been shocking, but for Summer, such things didn’t even raise an eyebrow.

“I’m going back now.”

“Should I wait?”

“Thank you for everything, Fei. And I’m sorry that the world was ruined because of me. When I go back, everything will return to normal.”

That was all there was to the conversation. If anything, it felt like Fei was hesitating more than Summer. After a long silence, Fei ended the communication first.

Summer had no hesitation. She leisurely took off her shoes. Grass filled the spaces between her toes.

She dipped her toes slightly into the lake water. A cold sensation tingled up from her toes.

This time, it’s certain.

Summer removed the jewels decorating her dress. This will be a parting gift left for Mary and Daisy.

And so, Summer plunged into the cold lake.

The hem of her dress, beautiful like a fully bloomed flower petal, floated on the surface for a moment, then sank, heavy with water.

Duke Russell Bertrand, strolling through the Lindsey estate, thought of Ian Lancaster. Russell Bertrand was Ian Lancaster’s closest friend.

Although those around them didn’t seem to believe it, the two considered each other their closest friends.

They say opposites attract, don’t they?

As such, Russell knew Ian’s personality better than anyone else. Until just a few days ago.

‘Remember the tower?’

‘Ian.’

‘Don’t worry. Thanks to some woman, the memories of past wounds have become blurry.’

‘For someone saying that, your hands are shaking quite badly.’

‘But I saved her. I saved that woman.’

‘…’

‘Perhaps it was salvation sent to me. To stop living in guilt.’

The expression on Ian’s face as he said this was something Russell had never seen before.

It was a face of torment yet relief, as if he had fallen into an abyss of despair but had also received a ray of salvation.

Seeing his friend’s face, Russell could only keep his mouth shut.

He couldn’t bring himself to say anything about Ian’s wounds.

Fortunately, Ian started speaking again as if nothing was wrong.

‘Relax your expression, Russell.’

‘Sometimes you look too precarious.’

‘Then can you do me one favor?’

‘A favor?’

The favor Ian Lancaster asked of Russell was to visit the Lindsey estate and check on Summer Lindsey.

‘If you’re so worried, why don’t you go yourself?’

‘I can’t go. You know that. It would only frighten them.’

Ian Lancaster, nicknamed the ‘Blood-covered Wolf’, was receiving public attention as a war hero.

He had just as many enemies. Fear and fascination, savage eyes and elegant manners became words that described him.

‘Neither of us are married, so wouldn’t it be a bit awkward to suddenly visit a family with a daughter?’

‘You… unlike me, are clean.’

In contrast, Russell was the opposite of Ian Lancaster.

Unlike the wolf that symbolized the Lancaster family, the symbol of the Bertrand family was the purple iris.

Among them, Russell Bertrand was the very embodiment of a single stalk of pale purple orchid bearing pure dew.

Fitting for a family closer to the pen than the sword, and more focused on academics than martial arts, Russell Bertrand was also in charge of the imperial administration.

The Bertrand ducal family was a long-standing family that had produced diplomatic representatives, finance ministers, and protocol ministers.

Most family members made names for themselves as scholars and in key government positions. Family members who didn’t go into imperial administration or diplomacy held important positions in the temple.

Everyone watched and loved the pen of the Bertrand family.

Among them, Russell Bertrand, who was liked by all, was loved by the entire empire to the extent that there was not a single place that didn’t welcome him.

‘Ian. That was done for the country.’

‘Still, the fact that my hands are stained with blood doesn’t change.’

The Lindsey estate, which he arrived at after receiving his friend’s request, exuded an atmosphere that was warm, gentle, and reminiscent of a spring garden.

“It was worth insisting.”

Russell smiled and closed his eyes. Count Lindsey had hurried through the meal strangely quickly and suggested a walk, saying the lake scenery was beautiful.

At the time, he felt slightly displeased, but upon seeing the landscape, he fully understood Count Lindsey’s intentions.

Even the path leading to the lakeside was beautiful like a scene from a fairy tale.

Just then, a woman’s voice reached Russell’s ears.

“You two set up the picnic here. I’ll look around some more.”

Golden hair dazzlingly reflecting the sunlight and blue eyes colder than the sea. He could tell at a glance. A person as summery as her name.

After Summer Lindsey left, the two maids began preparing for the picnic, spreading a cloth on the grass and setting up a small table. Russell slowly followed behind Summer Lindsey, leaving them behind.

The place Summer Lindsey reached was the lake.

The beautiful lake, the pride of the Lindsey family.

The ripples blooming on the lake, grass leaves gently swaying in the wind and modest flowers, the scent of grass and fragrant flowers brushing between them.

And Summer Lindsey, who had taken off her shoes and was tapping the lake with her toes. If he had a canvas right now, it was a scene he would want to immortalize in a painting.

“…What!”

Only when Summer Lindsey removed the jewels from her dress one by one and jumped into the lake without hesitation did Russell come to his senses.

Ian had reason to worry. How long had it been since he stopped her from jumping off the tower?

Russell roughly took off his outer coat and tie and plunged into the lake.

“…”

He couldn’t say anything. Summer Lindsey, sinking into the piercingly cold lake, was smiling with her eyes closed.

As if she were happy.

Just as Russell reached out with all his might to grab Summer, her closed eyes suddenly opened.

The blue lake, the blue dress, the blue eyes.

The world was all blue, but her scattering golden hair showed why she was Summer.

As the air bubbles obscuring his vision rose to the surface, Russell Bertrand’s and Summer’s eyes met.

Summer looked as if she had encountered an uninvited guest.

Duke Russell Bertrand could tell at a glance when he saw Lady Summer Lindsey.

Ah. She jumped in on purpose.

She has no intention of living in this world.

Otherwise, why would she frown at the sight of a benefactor who jumped in to save her?

Still, he had to save her. He couldn’t not jump in when someone was dying right before his eyes.

As Russell grabbed Summer and held her tight, she resisted violently, pushing Russell away.

Ignoring Summer’s resistance, Russell swung his arms towards the surface. White bubbles burst.

He could feel Summer struggling with all her might, but Russell held her even tighter.

As soon as they emerged from the water, Summer coughed, spitting out water as if she was about to lose her breath.

“Cough!”

“Why on earth are you trying to die?”

“Ugh, cough!”

“…”

Instead of an answer, what he heard was the sound of raw retching. Seeing Summer vomiting, Russell let out a faint sigh.

There was no dialogue. He had no intention of understanding a person trying to die in the first place, so it was natural that there was no dialogue.

He couldn’t understand, wouldn’t understand, and didn’t want to understand the mind of someone trying to die.

If he understood them, what about his friend who was living a painful life with his insides all torn up? What about Ian, who had crumbled in the face of that woman’s selfish death?

Surely that woman had done such a thing knowing full well that her son would be left in tatters.

For Russell, understanding them was akin to betraying Ian.

Russell’s eyes grew cold as he looked at Summer.