As I finished the meal, Philip threw the remaining food to Blank, who had been drooling since the bird began to cook.

“Shall we wait for daylight and go straight to the capital, or go to the estate first and then head to the capital?”

“I want to release Mild Kyeong’s confinement as soon as possible.”

“In that case, let’s rest in the carriage for a bit, even though it may be uncomfortable.”

Philip hung a lamp he brought on the carriage window, gently illuminating the interior.

“I’ll turn off the light if you want to sleep.”

Leaning against the wall of the carriage, the warm and cozy feeling of Blank leaning against the cold wall was missed.

At that moment, Philip, sitting across from me, asked.
“How did you sleep last night since you camped yesterday?”

“Mild Kyeong connected a sunshade through the bamboo.”

“…A sunshade?”

“Yes, with a cloak.”

“Your skills are impressive. But wasn’t it cold? It must have been chilly at night.”

“It was fine. The fire was big, so it kept us warm.”

“…”

Philip turned his gaze outside the carriage with a subtle expression. Since he remained silent, I cautiously asked him.

“Blank can come inside because the cushion is uncomfortable, right?”

It wasn’t long after Ellen left with Vermilion.

Philip, who had rushed to the entrance of the court from a horse that had just arrived, looked around and asked the soldier guarding the entrance if a blonde woman with a large black dog had come.

“Oh, she was here. After chatting with the nobles for a while, she went with Reverend Vermilion.”

When asked where Vermilion and Ellen had gone, the carriage stopped behind Philip.

Fred, who got off the carriage, signaled the soldier to stop the conversation with Philip, and they both stood at attention.

“Sigh, why are you like this?”

“I thought I’d check for a moment…”

Fred was genuinely worried that his friend might have gone crazy.

“…But jumping out of a running carriage? It seems like you’re really not in your right mind today or yesterday.”

At Fred’s reproach, Philip raised only one corner of his mouth expressionlessly.

“So, Philip, did you finish checking?”

“To some extent… Where is Vermilion?”

“If he’s done with the repentance ceremony, he should be in the palace.”

Fred, showing a troublesome expression, gestured for Philip to get back on the carriage.

“It’ll be difficult if you delay any longer.”

Philip boarded the carriage, glancing around once more.

‘Is it okay, my lady? Something seems to have happened…’

Although Philip entered the palace, he didn’t have a chance to inquire about Ellen, as he coincidentally crossed paths with Vermilion during the entrance. The lengthy meeting left no time for personal conversation, and Vermilion went back to the temple first.

Then, the meeting continued until late at night. Philip’s immediate task for the kingdom was to have Marboro enter the palace.

Once Marboro entered, the king planned to officially announce him as the successor.

Philip silently swallowed a sigh of regret. Marboro’s entrance was one of the events Philip had eagerly awaited.

But now, the feeling had changed a bit.

Due to this, Philip would have to stay in the capital for the time being. It was not pleasing to think that even if he returned to the estate and became a VIP of the Dyes Boutique, he wouldn’t have the chance to see Ellen.

As Philip left the royal palace, he thought he should return to the estate as soon as possible.

“I should drop by the boutique tomorrow.”

It wasn’t certain whether Ellen had already returned to the estate. However, if he wanted to see her again, it was the better option.
The cold wind could blow fiercely from Ellen, but anyway.

“Yera!”

Philip refused Enok’s suggestion to go to bed late, urging the horse faster.

As they reached the bamboo forest, Philip remembered what Ellen had tried to say at the court.

Philip mumbled what Ellen might have said with a guess.

“If it’s okay, let’s meet at the bamboo forest tomorrow… is that what she meant?”

Looking around the dark bamboo forest, only a faint sigh came out. The pace of the horse slowed down involuntarily.

Then, somewhere in the distance, the sound of fireworks rang out softly.

‘I did well not to pass by that sound.’

Philip had never dreamed of meeting Ellen.

He had seen Ellen’s loosened hair many times. However, today, she seemed exceptionally beautiful, making his heart flutter.

So, Ellen, who kept a distance by calling him “Your Lordship,” as if to indicate their divorced relationship, secretly felt disappointed.

‘That damn lord, lord.’

Philip even felt annoyed for no reason.

The story of Mild Kyeong kept coming up. Despite knowing it was a necessary conversation, an inexplicable jealousy rose unexpectedly.

Additionally, the story of Ellen being attacked by the culprit was so heart-wrenching.

It was fortunate that she had managed to protect herself. Mild Kyeong’s retaliation against the assailant was also impressive.

On the other hand, when he heard that Mild Kyeong had been imprisoned for protecting Ellen, he felt envious.

If he were in that position, Ellen might have thought of him now. There would have been no imprisonment like Mild Kyeong, but…

Then, Philip thought that it might be a good idea to keep Mild Kyeong imprisoned for about ten years. He could do it if he set his mind to it.

‘Should I become the villain?’

To prevent Ellen from meeting Mild Kyeong.

But that was just a momentary thought.

When Ellen asked if he could release Mild Kyeong, his reason and morality nodded. Ellen’s expression improved with this rational and moral choice that differed from Philip’s messed-up emotions.

On the other hand, Philip struggled to suppress the jealousy and defeat he felt with Mild Kyeong’s sunshade story.

‘I should have made a sunshade too.’

But now that he thought about it, he didn’t feel like imitating Mild Kyeong.

Even though he didn’t want to imagine it, the image appeared.

Reclining comfortably by the bonfire, Ellen’s hair would probably be loosely let down like now.

Philip’s imaginary Mild Kyeong would be gently playing the ukulele, producing a sweet melody by the bonfire.

‘He’s good at singing for no reason.’

Philip had never heard Mild Kyeong sing. However, in Philip’s imagination, Mild Kyeong was skilled enough to rival a skilled poet.

He worried that Ellen might have grown fond of Mild Kyeong, who was good at singing.

His delusions were completely interrupted by Ellen’s question.
“Can I bring Blank inside because the cushion is uncomfortable?”

“Yes?”

Ellen tapped on the carriage wall.

“The wall is too hard.”

“…”

“Blank was my cushion. It’s warm too.”

The moment Philip heard those words, he couldn’t fathom where the courage came from.

“…My lord?”

Ellen looked at Philip with surprised eyes.