The place Edwin headed to was the lake he habitually visited every night. The lakeside at dusk was truly a spectacular sight, with the sunset light reflected on the water surface scattered in the air, making the whole world seem to be burning red.

What would you look like swimming in such a spectacular scene?

Vivian appeared late at night and fearlessly plunged into the embrace of the lake. She exposed her body without shame and frolicked on the water’s surface. Sometimes she hummed a tune, sometimes she cried, and sometimes she submerged herself underwater and didn’t come out for a long time.

She swam like that, with her body shimmering like a silver statue, as if she were the owner of the lake.

If a passing traveler had seen Vivian, they probably wouldn’t have been able to leave that spot. They would have strained their eyes to capture the image of the woman floating on the water’s surface, enchanted by her beauty, claiming to have discovered a beautiful golden mermaid.

I thought the smile in the portrait would be the last. But Vivian in the water was free, and the smile of a liberated woman was as brilliant as the shimmering water.

When the golden mermaid I so admired floats up helplessly, and when that is the conclusion I have drawn, I think I will remember a lot.

The sound of water parting from her long, slender fingertips, the playful giggling as if tickled by something, and the sound of crying like a child, dropping tears one by one.

Perhaps the sound left by you, who disappeared from my hands, might leave a deep lingering feeling and regret.

Every night, Edwin stood at the dock where Vivian had stood and looked down at the red-burning water surface. He didn’t think that the vanished Eveline was under the water’s surface.

He had a place where he expected Vivian Eveline to be. And he was also confident that his expectation wouldn’t be wrong. Nevertheless, he visited the lake because he harbored a slight hope.

The vain hope that she had come running, unable to resist the night because she loved this lake. A groundless wish he held onto even though he knew it wasn’t true.

Edwin turned back and waited for time to pass in his study. Before long, the sunset light had disappeared, and an unpleasant evening that looked like a bruise had arrived. And soon after, Abernethy, who had been searching for Eveline, came to find Edwin.

“It seems Miss Eveline is not in the mansion. I asked Miss Windler as well, but she said she hasn’t seen her since the morning. It appears Miss Eveline snuck out of the mansion secretly, as no one saw her leave.”

Vivian Eveline had run away.

Anyone would misunderstand the current situation and believe so. But Edwin calmly shook his head.

“She wouldn’t have done that.”

If the assumption that she had run away was correct, there were things that should have preceded it.

Vivian knew that even though Monica Eveline’s debt had been transferred to Vivian Eveline’s name, Edwin had put a safeguard on the promissory note.

In case of abandoning the repayment without consultation or taking one’s own life, the effectiveness of this promissory note disappears. Therefore, the promissory note with Monica Eveline regains legal effect.

So Vivian Eveline had a clear reason why she couldn’t run away. This meant that she didn’t cause this trouble to escape from his grasp.

“Fire the gatekeeper.”

Edwin ordered coldly with his blue eyes devoid of warmth. Abernethy thought that although his master’s firm decision was right, it was an uncharacteristically hasty decision.

“… Yes, Your Grace.”

Abernethy, having no choice but to answer, bowed his head slightly and left. Edwin, who had risen from his seat, stood in front of the portrait hanging on the wall. The innocent smile shone as brightly as her golden hair.

Edwin, with his hands in his pockets, took out the necklace he had practically snatched from Theo Evans not long ago and opened it.

Vivian in the locket was more mature than 14 years ago, but less ripe than in the portrait in the study.

Vivian from 14 years ago, Vivian in the pendant, Vivian in the portrait, and the current Vivian. He had grasped more moments of Vivian Eveline than he thought.

Even in the moment of death, Vivian Eveline couldn’t escape from this palm. If he had been going to let her go easily, there would have been no reason for her to fight to survive with all her might.

***

‘Please ask His Grace. It might be embarrassing to face the servants, but that would be the same anywhere. If the conditions are the same, it’s better to work in a place you know well.’

This morning, as Baron Zimmerman was leaving Rodinia, Charlotte couldn’t confess her feelings to him and only conveyed her apologies for not being able to help. He smiled and encouraged her, and while doing so, he didn’t forget to give advice to Vivian.

As Baron Zimmerman said, working as a maid in the duke’s mansion was more terrifying than becoming the evening menu. The mere imagination of making such a request to Edwin made her shudder and shake her head vigorously.

So, she had been scouring the village all day looking for work on her own, and now the pharmacy was the last shop in the village, except for Theo’s clothing store.

“I really can do well. I hope you won’t find it difficult, Mr. Mortimer.”

“… But, Miss. I do need help, but how can I give work to you? A noble at that. If this becomes known, I won’t escape punishment, Miss.”

“Absolutely not. My family and I are nobles in Preston, but in New Way, we’re legally ordinary citizens. I’m not of noble status.”

Vivian strongly denied it, but Mortimer scratched his bushy-bearded chin, showing signs of discomfort.

“Who in our village doesn’t know about your situation, Miss? When we all gathered money and came to you, you insisted on refusing it. Rather than that, why don’t you accept that money?”

“I didn’t think it was tough. Father said that handling medicine and herbs is sacred work…”

“Look at this, Miss.”

Mortimer stretched out his thick, rough hand in front of Vivian, who was elaborating. It was a hand full of recent wounds, deep scars, and what looked like burn marks.

“Sometimes when handling herbs, we have to deal with things that don’t agree with our bodies. Then it’s like this. Like this.”

Mortimer thrust his hand at Vivian as if trying to scare her. Vivian, who had been flinching, couldn’t help but squeeze her eyes shut.

“It’s quite a disgusting hand for a fine lady like you, isn’t it? If you touch these things, you’ll end up the same. No, it could be worse for you. Besides, His Grace is being generous to you, so why are you trying to buy trouble for yourself? So give up now, and I’ll give you this.”

Mortimer rummaged in his pocket and pulled out a few banknotes, holding them out to Vivian. Vivian’s heart ached at the sight of the banknotes he was offering.

Even after going around all the shops in the village, the answers weren’t much different from Mr. Mortimer’s. In the end, they willingly took out money and told her to take it. She had begged for a job, but what she got in return were banknotes and coins.

“If you need it for now, please take this…”

“No, it’s okay.”

She needed money, but that money cut her heart to shreds. It seemed like money could do anything, but it made it impossible to do anything.

Money seemed to give hope, but it also took hope away.

Was this what Baron Zimmerman had warned about? Was money something that makes you blindly charge forward even in the midst of cruelty that wears down people’s hearts and souls?

“I’m sorry. I was being stubborn… I apologize, Mr. Mortimer. I’ll visit again next time.”

Feeling embarrassed, Vivian left Mortimer’s pharmacy without any achievement.

Due to the prolonged argument, the sunset sky was gradually darkening.

If she didn’t return now, she wouldn’t make it back for dinner. That would surely anger Edwin again, but she couldn’t go back without seeing Theo.

Although she hadn’t left secretly, it had unintentionally become a secret departure, so Sophie might be frantically searching for her.

Knowing this, the reason she had quietly left was because if she had told Sophie, she would have made up all sorts of excuses to prevent her from going out or would have reported to Edwin, causing unnecessary trouble.

The gatekeeper guarding the mansion’s entrance was dozing off, sweating from the heat, and while she considered waking him up, she thought she’d be back soon and left the mansion as it was.

So just for today. Whether she gets scolded, strangled, or shot, let’s endure the duke’s torment for just one day.

With that resolve, Vivian hurried her steps towards Theo’s clothing store.

After that incident, Vivian deliberately didn’t write to Theo. After tearing up the letter full of reassurances that everything was fine, whenever she wrote “To Theo,” she couldn’t think of what to write next.

Theo’s clothing store still had its lights on. When she stood in front of the door, the sign was already flipped. The door, which she thought would be locked, opened easily, and the first thing she saw was Theo tidying up some fabric.

“I’m sorry, but we’re about to close…”

The eyes that confirmed the late visitor was Vivian widened in surprise.

“Hello, Theo.”

Theo, who had been staring blankly, dropped what he was holding in his hand and came out from behind the counter.

“Ah, Miss…? Is it really you?”

“Hmm?”

“Ah, no. Um…”

“What’s wrong? Are you sick somewhere?”

Theo’s disbelieving eyes couldn’t find their bearings. Vivian, tilting her head, asked with concern for Theo’s behavior.

“…I’m just surprised. You can’t be here at this hour, Miss. Did you come by carriage with the duke again? Is everything alright? Did he perhaps hit you again, or something like that…?”

“Theo.”

The low and calm call planted a bit of comfort in Theo.

“I’m really, really fine. What you’re worried about didn’t happen. And it won’t happen in the future either.”

Theo hurriedly locked the door of the clothing store, fearing that someone’s interruption might break the flow of conversation and make him lose Vivian again. Theo led Vivian to the reception room and brought two drinks.

“So you walked here?”

“Yes. It feels like it’s been a long time since I walked. Walking cleared my head. I should walk more often. I haven’t even entered the maze in a long time. Though it might make me feel more stuffy…”

Not having been able to write letters lately, she became quite talkative. Realizing this, Vivian smiled shyly and let her words trail off.

“But why did you come at such a late hour?”

All of Theo’s nerves were focused on safety and well-being. The anxious look in his eyes weighed heavily on Vivian’s heart as well.

“Ah, well…”

She couldn’t bring herself to say that she had been going around the village looking for work because she didn’t want to beg for a job at the duke’s mansion.

“I got caught up in various things and it got late. I need to go back soon. Actually, they might be looking for me because I didn’t tell anyone before I left.”

Theo expressed his frustration with a dry face wash. Vivian could only watch helplessly as Theo suffered powerlessly. The hands neatly folded on her thighs had unknowingly curled into fists.

“Miss, really… don’t you have any thoughts of leaving the mansion? If it’s too uncomfortable, how about living with my family…”

“You know, Theo.”

To Theo, Vivian Eveline was no different from the village merchants. Those who wouldn’t give work to the noble lady but would give money. It was similar to that kind of sympathy.

“Theo, you’re my precious friend. That’s what I think. So I’m curious. Am I a precious friend to you too?”

The question made Theo think.

No. Was there even anything to think about in the first place? Did he ever have a choice?

If Vivian told him to become a pig, he would become a pig, and if she told him to become a horse, he would become a horse. So why couldn’t he be a friend? Rather, Vivian seemed unaware that Theo Evans was the one who should be grateful for being called a friend.

“Of course.”

Hiding the complexly crumbling emotions, he expressed his heart briefly. He hoped that Vivian would read his true feelings within that.

“As you know, Theo, I’m currently standing on a precarious and sufficiently arduous path. And I don’t want to place you on that path.”

“…”

“There’s only one thing I want from you, Theo. Don’t try to protect me.”

The painful words stabbed his heart.

The guilt of not being able to protect her even when trying to shield her from the rough winds in the past made Theo feel infinitely small. The time he spent hating Duke Baitness and blaming himself for his foolishness came rolling back like a snowball.

“Instead, when I complain about being tired, will you be on my side and curse with me? You know, Theo, I’d like you to be a friend I can lean on when I’m really struggling. I don’t want to be a burden to you, but someone who can whine to you when I’m having a hard time.”

Vivian’s confession took his consciousness back to nine days ago. Duke Baitness, who had been pointing a gun at him, finally pulled the trigger and lodged a bullet in his heart.

“Let’s play the storytelling game like we used to. And when I go back later, could you take me? It’s getting dark, and honestly, my legs are hurting too.”

Your hasty worries and clumsy suggestions ended up burdening her after all.

What did Vivian, who had become alone, need? What was Theo Evans to Vivian, who had no one to rely on?

Theo had to find the answer in that bright smile.