“……”

Esika looked at him silently for a moment.

She was holding a short dark sword.

The sword, too long to be called a dagger and shorter and lighter than a rapier, looking quite fragile, seemed different in nature from Resban’s long sword.

“……No.”

Resban smiled slightly and said.

“That’s a shame. It would have been interesting to end things that way.”

If Esika had answered yes, who did he think she would punish?

“To me, those people look no different from thieves.”

Resban’s gaze was directed at the sword. The name Klaus lingered in his mind.

Esika felt her fingers holding the sword tingle unnecessarily, and she put it behind her back as she spoke.

A calm and clear voice flowed into Resban’s ears.

“This sword…… I hold it not to wield, but to remember.”

At those words, Resban’s eyes rippled deeply.

His golden eyes slowly turned to Esika’s eyes.

“The things that are important to me.”

Her gaze was serious.

This is not the martial arts world, and force is merely a supplementary means to cold reason and accurate judgment.

Unless one is going to war like Resban, that is.

She simply had goals that she acquired when she first regained her spirit’s memories.

And this sword was a kind of flag to remember and adhere to those goals.

Of course, there might come a time when she would need to draw the sword for self-defense.

But it was not made to cut someone down.

After staring at Esika for a long time, Resban opened his mouth.

“I hope I am among the things you must not forget.”

At his low voice, Esika’s hand twitched.

She was reminded of what Shupelt had told her.

But looking into his deep eyes, Esika didn’t have the courage to ask about that day.

‘What happened between us that day…… that you always look at me with such eyes?’

If he really says something, it won’t end with just an answer.

When she looks into his eyes, it feels like a deep and intense wave of fate is rising up to her chin.

She recalls something he once said.

“If I, with my blood-stained hands, reach out to help, would you be terrified and run away?”

“Your Highness…… You always seem to have a lot of interest in me.”

As if answering Esika’s words, a low voice flowed from Resban.

Soon, he raised his index finger close to Esika’s chin.

Though his touch didn’t quite reach her, maintaining a precarious distance, Esika felt a pressing aura and looked into his intense eyes.

Resban, who had drawn her gaze to him, spoke as if whispering.

“Yes. I have an immense interest. I always want to help you and……”

His high nose bridge and red lips moved decadently.

Creating a breathtaking tension, he slightly raised the corner of his mouth.

“Very often, I think of you. Several times a day.”

“Your Highness. I……”

“I have been living dreaming of you for a very long time.”

His voice cut off Esika’s words.

Today too, he was asking Esika.

Or it seemed like he was courting her.

Does he want an answer? To say he wants an answer, he speaks as if in a monologue.

Sometimes it seems like he’s waking her up, sometimes like he’s admonishing her. Sometimes like a gentle threat.

Esika’s eyes trembled slightly as she looked at Resban.

**

At the time when the red sunset was spreading.

The men barely regained consciousness and fled to the alley outside the store, but their arms and legs wouldn’t move properly.

With dislocated knees, they could barely walk, staggering.

Even when they opened their mouths, not a single voice came out.

‘What did that witch-like woman do?’

They couldn’t even see the trajectory of the sword. They only realized they had been attacked after collapsing.

‘Somehow, I’ll get revenge on that damned woman……”

His subordinates, who couldn’t even groan like him, also had desperate expressions.

‘……I’ll do it for sure.’

And then a black shadow fell across his vision.

Swish- The chilling sound of a sharp blade brushing against its scabbard is heard.

When he opened his eyes wide, he saw the last scene.

A man with pitch-black hair and deep golden eyes, with an atmosphere so cold it could be felt just by looking at him, swinging down his sword without the slightest hesitation.

He wore a black uniform with the royal family’s crest.

His vision flashed red.

“It’s better not to leave any loose ends.”

Then the men in black clothes following Resban cut down the remaining men.

Blood splattered here and there, but Resban didn’t even flinch.

For someone who had spent a long time on the battlefield, this wasn’t even a spectacle.

One of the men who dealt with the men, called Panics, briefly knelt to examine them and then reported to Resban.

“The vocal cords were cut with incredible skill. This…… I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Panics seemed genuinely surprised.

How could someone with human strength cut only the vocal cords with hardly any bleeding without knowing the structure of the human body very well?

“Just what is the Duchess……”

“Forget what you just thought about seeing.”

Along with the wind carrying the scent of blood, Resban’s low voice was heard.

Resban’s deep golden eyes were gleaming coldly.

“Understood.”

Panics’ voice was heard as he bowed his head.

It was quite a nice day.

The weather was good and the wind was just right.

So it couldn’t be more regrettable.

If those bugs who just died hadn’t fled outside the store, he could have enjoyed a leisurely walk.

A cold smile played on Resban’s lips.

**

‘A dream about me.’

Every time she meets Resban, it feels like one difficult problem is added.

His interest in her. The connection from Hasetsu. And now dreams……

Looking into his eyes felt like some fate was surging like waves.

An unavoidable……

“My lady. Do you know what happened earlier?”

As soon as Esika returned, Sella opened her mouth excitedly.

“The soldiers from the government office took away the head maid.”

Esika’s lips twisted slightly at the corners as she guessed what had happened.

Pleased with her mistress’s reaction, Sella continued more happily.

“I’m not sure exactly, but it seems she committed a crime. Her face was pale white. She raised her nose so high just because the elder madam favored her a bit and oppressed you, so it serves her right.”

“I see.”

Esika, who answered briefly, looked at herself in the mirror.

“You know, when the head maid came to the mansion as your maid…… I didn’t realize it then, but thinking about it now, that woman seems to have spoken quite badly of you.”

“What kind of bad things?”

Beautiful silver hair falling to her waist and clear blue eyes.

Skin that has become even softer than before due to qi cultivation, and delicate hands…… A beauty that anyone would say puts even Yang Guifei to shame.

After hesitating for a moment, Sella continued.

“That you’re immature, extravagant…… And that your personality is bad, so it’s hard for her to serve you closely. So the Duke…… Ah, I’m sorry.”

Realizing she had misspoken, Sella covered her mouth.

But a faint smile still lingered on Esika’s lips.

“It’s alright. Go on.”

“……But.”

“I said it’s fine.”

“She said you’re not loved by the Duke. Thinking about it now, she’s really a wicked woman. To badmouth a friend like that.”

Sella began to gently brush the silver hair.

“Yuri Anesis was always that kind of child.”

Smiling on the outside while doing something else behind one’s back.

Pretending to be kind and weak while stabbing a dagger in the other’s back.

Esika found it amusing to recall her past self who, despite experiencing this clearly since childhood, failed to notice that nature and brought her into this mansion.

“She has great ambition and strong jealousy, but……”

Esika’s lips moved again as she looked at her beautiful self in the mirror.

“She doesn’t have the ability to match it.”

So she must be digging her own grave deeper and deeper.

At the end of that path, destruction must surely be waiting.

While receiving Sella’s brushing, she sensed someone’s presence outside the door.

**

Callian didn’t expect Esika to accept dinner, so he was very pleased to hear the news.

And he called the chef, Hemos, and told him to prepare the food perfectly.

He also told Hans to make sure there was nothing uncomfortable.

Callian also fixed his collar in front of the mirror for the first time in a long while.

And he arrived at the dining room first to wait for Esika.

After waiting about 20 minutes, the door opened and Esika entered.

“……”

Callian’s eyes rippled deeply when he saw Esika.

Even to him, who had never been captivated by a woman’s appearance before, Esika’s beauty seemed to be shining more day by day.

When they got married…… No, even just a few months ago, it wasn’t to this extent, but now she was beautiful enough that anyone would turn to look back a few times if she walked by.

Beautiful silver hair elegantly tied up, clear blue eyes, a straight nose and soft skin…… Her calm expression exuded dignity, and her steps were the same.

Seeing her long, white neckline, he felt an odd sensation rising.

He wanted to spend tonight with her.