“You look great in it! Then, here are seven crimson dresses!”

“Let’s go for something rich in frills, excluding the heavily decorated ones.”

After completing the usual splendid dressing, I glanced at the mirror for a moment.

The number ’10’ was clearly visible in one eye.

It had been fluctuating between decreasing and increasing, but at some point, it had stopped at exactly 10 years.

To accumulate more lifespan from now on, it seemed that more intimate contact would be necessary.

‘If I kiss, will it accumulate for about a year?’

Recalling the events of this morning, I absentmindedly wiped my lips.

The bread crumb blocked the sensation a bit, but… it felt good.

I wanted to try it again to see if it was genuinely pleasant.

‘Among humans, there are those who believe that physical contact is essential in love, and compatibility is the most important.’

I couldn’t agree or disagree with that statement.

Because… I just didn’t know.

Whenever I read romance novels written by humans, the expressions about sharing love were always excessively fantastical.

Kissing would send shivers through the body, the spine tingles, the toes tingle, and the ears ring like chimes. There were even books that expressed the sensation of wanting to give oneself entirely and the chest swelling to the point of bursting.

‘But… with Enrique, it was just like that.’

Thinking back, the kisses I shared with Enrique didn’t have any taste now.

I simply let him do it because he liked overlapping lips. I enjoyed watching his face blush after our lips separated.

Other than that, I never experienced any profound emotions from a kiss.

‘Any kiss from a partner I’ve met in my life, except Enrique, hasn’t ignited any passion in my heart.’

But what about the recent contact with Merem?

If his lips had fully touched mine, and if he had gently pulled my short hair with his hand, what taste would it have had?

Thunk!

I slapped my own cheek to snap out of my absent-mindedness and regain my distant mind.

“Your, Your Highness?”

Lydia, who witnessed my strange behavior as she entered, spoke in a nervous voice.

Feeling embarrassed, I cleared my throat and opened my mouth.

“Why are you like that?”

“Th-that… Duke has arrived. He’s been waiting for you…!”

“Oh, okay. I’ll be right down.”

Normally, it would be proper for the escorting man to come first and wait for the woman to finish her preparations. However, considering the distance he had traveled, it was enough for him to appear just before entering this time.

Still, I wondered when he would arrive, and it was much earlier than I expected.

“Leo.”

“Miss Arti!”

As I descended the stairs slowly, two men appeared.

One had olive skin tightly wrapped around well-defined muscles, a tall stature, and sharp features. He boasted a handsome face and a deep voice.
On the other side was a face so fair that it could be described as pale, with curly silver hair like a lamb, distinctive cat-like raised eyes, and a delicate face like a magnolia flower. And they boasted a youthful appearance.

Although fate had arranged them in appropriate positions and granted them suitable powers, somehow both of them were now in front of me.

‘It seems like the thread of fate clearly led me to these two.’

My eldest sister had told me once that fate was so frightening that even the devil couldn’t escape it.

However, at the same time, fate didn’t reveal only one path.

Every moment was a series of choices, and depending on those choices, thousands or tens of thousands of different paths would branch out. Therefore, it was said that one shouldn’t casually predict the future.

‘I suppose there are different futures, one choosing Shailo and the other choosing Merem.’

It would be great if I could catch a glimpse of what lies at the end of these two futures.

The dilemma that love is equivalent to death adds an even more challenging factor to the decision-making.

If my sisters were watching me right now, maybe they would find it amusing that I might want to die over this dilemma.

Because I must look quite comical stuck in this dilemma.

“Come back safely. It’s cold, so bring a shawl.”

“Did you come out specifically to bring this?”

“Yes.”

Merem handed me a small pouch on my wrist.

Wondering what it was, I grabbed it and felt a warm heat emanating from inside.

“Your hands are cold. It should get better if you hold it.”

Ah, I like it when someone nonchalantly takes care of me like this.

Merem didn’t say a word about my decision to be escorted by Shailo to the banquet.

He just gave me a small token that could help me remember him.

But oddly enough, that made it more memorable.

“You’re very meticulous.”

While heading to the banquet hall together, Shailo mentioned Merem.

As he did, I gently touched the warm pouch with my fingertips and glanced at it.

“Why, are you jealous?”

“Well, maybe a little? But Her Majesty the Empress should rightfully receive such treatment. And I won’t object either.”

Shailo flicked his finger twice.

Then, the turquoise beads scattered and gently settled on my shoulders.