Vivian met Mr. Jefferson and rejoiced together. Seeing Mr. Jefferson’s face regain its friendly smile, Vivian felt relieved. After that, her steps towards meeting Edwin became lighter.

Yesterday, as she recalled the time spent with him, she instinctively touched her chest. It felt as if the fingertips that had traced a path down her skin had come alive again.

Had the Duke wanted something from her?

She felt a passionate temperature in his ice-blue eyes, cold as winter. She wasn’t naive or uneducated enough not to know what it meant. There was a difference from the gazes of countless men who had come to view the mansion before the auction, but the meaning wasn’t far off.

But that can’t be. He couldn’t harbor such thoughts for me, of all people.

The heat flickering in those cold eyes was surely a misunderstanding or delusion. Just as he had treated parts of her body like pieces of meat, he must have been equally dispassionate yesterday.

It was clearly her mistake, misreading in that unfamiliar atmosphere.

Now, she just needed to be grateful to Edwin for withdrawing her dismissal. Misunderstandings and delusions could be easily forgotten if buried in the recesses of memory, mere happenings.

Vivian, her cheeks flushed red, shook her head. Meanwhile, Sophie brought a cool glass of lemonade with ice. Vivian’s eyes naturally turned to the glass beaded with moisture.

Rodinia’s short spring was passing. The cool moisture was a life-saving elixir that would momentarily drive away the early heat. Vivian, after briefly wetting her throat, turned her eyes to the two men clashing swords.

Vivian silently waited for Edwin while watching the two men’s match. The ice in the glass had melted completely and the lemonade had reached the bottom. Just as she picked up the glass to swallow the last of the drink, the two men’s match ended.

Unable to finish the remaining lemonade, Vivian, her face brightening, stared intently at Edwin. She thought of running up to him to express her gratitude if he had forgotten her again. Fortunately, Edwin, after removing his mask, first sent Royce away and then gestured towards the pergola.

He didn’t forget me.

Pleased by this, Vivian got up with a smile. She trotted down the steps towards him, standing in the shade of a quince tree.

He was wiping the sweat from his face. Her eyes narrowed at the familiar handkerchief in his hand. Soon realizing it wasn’t a handkerchief but her scarf, she recalled Charlotte.

The scarf he said he had thrown away, but had asked Charlotte to embroider and bring back.

Though she directly confirmed that the problematic scarf Charlotte had been suspicious about was in his grasp, she didn’t show much reaction.

“…I heard from Sophie. Thank you so much, Duke.”

Vivian conveyed her sincere gratitude. She clasped her hands politely and her voice held gentleness.

“You should be grateful.”

With a faint smile spreading, the mask in his hand flew in an arc. Vivian’s eyes widened and she unconsciously stretched out her hands to catch the mask.

The transparent sunlight penetrating through the leaves clearly illuminated Vivian’s gray eyes. The color staining her eyes swayed with the wind, and Vivian’s eyes sparkled brilliantly following the color.

Edwin nodded with a satisfied smile. Vivian, having caught the mask in bewilderment, followed behind him. She stared at his broad shoulders with puzzled eyes.

She believed that what had moved the Duke’s heart was her firm resolve to take Mr. Jefferson’s punishment in his place. Whatever punishment it might be, she was prepared to accept it willingly.

On the way to his room, encountering servants several times, she felt embarrassed. Knowing that following behind him clutching his mask wasn’t a particularly dignified image, her head dropped deeply.

She chided herself for feeling shy and ashamed over such a trivial matter. Her face flushed up to her ears as she suddenly lifted her head. She had to overcome this and accomplish it. Having decided to abandon the Vivian who sat prettily doing embroidery and only waiting for her parents, she needed to adopt an attitude befitting that.

While Vivian wrestled with these complex emotions, they arrived at his room. As Vivian stood awkwardly in front of the door, not knowing what to do, Edwin, who was having his clothes removed by a servant, turned to look at her.

“Put it there.”

“…Ah, yes.”

Following his gaze, she placed the mask on top of a cabinet that reached her waist. The unbuttoning of his fencing uniform showed no signs of slowing down.

Is undressing the priority before even starting the main topic?

Vivian rolled her eyes awkwardly.

“Are you trying to show everyone outside the door how I undress?”

Only after one side of his top was open down to his waist did he dismiss the servant. As the servant left the room and closed the door, the extraneous noise subsided and a steady silence settled in.

She fiddled with the hem of her skirt with downcast eyes. The burning in her throat was due to the silence that had descended.

He was particularly imposing when wearing his fencing uniform. Moreover, he looked like a gentleman’s appearance would be accompanied by a gentleman’s attitude, although of course, he had strangled, shot, and carelessly grabbed a lady’s body in such an appearance. The current him seemed capable of anything, having shed the armor of his title.

“Then… what should I do now?”

He chuckled as he brushed back his sweat-soaked hair. The refreshing smile she thought she had misjudged appeared. She sensed danger from him, who had returned to being a pure and clear boy.

“Are you willing to obediently follow whatever I say?”

“…Didn’t you call me here to punish me?”

She thought what had moved his heart was the punishment she said she would take. But not being able to move on to the main point and diverging at the introduction created an uneasy feeling.

Edwin turned towards Vivian. As one side of his fencing uniform slipped down revealing the lining, she thought it fortunate that he wasn’t in his usual robe.

“I told you yesterday too. There’s no punishment for Miss Eveline.”

“Then why the dismissal……”

“Was Mr. Jefferson’s dismissal what Miss Eveline truly wanted?”

“No! Absolutely not. That’s not what I…”

“Then what’s the problem?”

It was a question that made her feel something wither inside. As she gaped with her lips trembling, Edwin nodded towards the closed door. He was telling her to leave now.

Suspicious, Vivian couldn’t turn away and just fidgeted with her hands gripping her skirt. Edwin softly laughed and undid the remaining buttons. As he casually opened his top, Vivian startled and had to lower her eyes.

“Th-thank you. For forgiving me.”

Edwin hung his removed top on a chair while gazing at Vivian.

Behind her docility was the name Jefferson. That was the reason for ending this boring game.

Crying and wailing, begging and pleading while clinging to his trouser legs. Certainly interesting, but rescuing someone no longer held meaning.

“I understand, so you can go now.”

Even as Edwin grabbed his belt, Vivian’s feet didn’t move from their spot. He had thought she would turn away happily if told to leave without incident, but for some reason Vivian was being stubborn.

“Um… one more thing…”

Her lips parted with difficulty. Edwin’s interest was piqued by Vivian who was fidgeting with her politely clasped hands. He stopped undressing and focused all his attention on Vivian. Anticipation rose for what words she would use to make his day enjoyable.

“I know it might sound absurd for me to say this to you, Duke. But we made a promise, and I want to keep it.”

“And?”

“As you know, I’ve been eating regularly, more than usual. Sophie even said I’ve gained a lot of weight, but your hand…”

Before she could utter something frivolous, Edwin suddenly burst out laughing. Did he not know how embarrassing that laughter was? She recalled the awkward moment when they had argued about Theo, also due to that laughter.

“Anyway, I’m trying my best. But what I was hung up on was the debt. The interest on the money my mother borrowed.”

“Get to the point.”

Edwin interrupted as Vivian hesitated too much. He still had a smile on his face. Vivian took a deep breath. After moistening her dry lips and taking another deep breath, she blurted out:

“Would you consider employing me as a servant in the mansion?”

Her voice, which had come out boldly, trembled slightly. Having spoken unusually loudly due to nervousness, Vivian worried if the sound had leaked out, standing right in front of the door.

She thought it was quite a radical proposal, but there was no sign of agitation, nor any expression of surprise or trembling. He was just calm, without any waves. The Duke’s attitude of always maintaining composure was quite surprising and, in a way, admirable.

“I want to work and earn money fairly. If it’s inconvenient for you… could you perhaps write me a letter of recommendation… so I can work elsewhere?”

Vivian’s voice, which had been confident, gradually faded. His lack of reaction heightened her sense of shame.

“…I tried to sell embroidery to pay off the debt, but I realized it was far from enough. I’m no longer of noble status, so I don’t think there’s anything I can’t do. If I’m lacking, I’ll keep learning to perform the job.”

Vivian added, unable to tolerate the silence filling the space. A smile appeared on Edwin’s previously unchanging lips, but it didn’t put her mind at ease.

“Letter of recommendation?”

His clean tone, without ups and downs, vibrated through the air.

“Why go so far?”

“Then…”

“Come to think of it, we weren’t so different back then, were we?”

Edwin’s footsteps moved away steadily. Unable to lift her head, Vivian could only stare at her feet.

“Your words that if bad things happen, only good things will follow next. And my words that only bad things will happen to you who only has good things.”

As he recalled the events from 14 years ago, Vivian shrank back. The shadow of guilt pushed her back into fierce waves.

“You’ve thought well, Miss Eveline. I’d like to praise that courage of yours. Sincerely.”

He was proudly approving, which didn’t suit him. Vivian slowly raised her head and looked directly at Edwin leaning against the window.

“And Miss Eveline.”

His enigmatic, bright smile sparkled under the sunlight. Just now, he looked exactly like the boy from back then. Like that innocent boy who hadn’t lost anything.

“That day wasn’t cold. That day. It was hot.”