The small hands struggled for survival. They tried to grasp the force leading to death and raise their nails, but it was far from enough to push away the determined man.

“We’ve finally come to this point. I promised, and I received a promise.”

His voice did not ride the current of events, as if it were separate from holding another’s life in his hands. As the grip tightened slightly, even the strength to struggle faded away.

“Do you know what I staked on that promise?”

The events from 14 years ago flashed by like a kaleidoscope. In those same deep blue eyes as the boy from back then, it was not difficult to read his sincerity.

Revenge against the Evelines who had put his family on the execution stand. And a promise.

So she concluded that there was no chance the hands gripping her neck would loosen.

So this is how it ends.

Unable to find her missing father, unable to meet her mother who said she would return, losing her life to the man she had let live.

She surrendered herself to the fading consciousness.

“Huk! Cough!”

Just as Vivian’s struggling movements began to subside, he suddenly changed his mind and loosened his grip. Gulping down the sweet air that rushed in instantly, she collapsed on the floor of the carriage.

Not long ago her chin had been grabbed, and today her neck. She had imagined her hair might be pulled, but that would have been quite refined in comparison.

Before she could catch her breath, Edwin lifted Vivian’s chin. Tears flowed from her bloodshot eyes and saliva drenched her mouth. With the same hands that had just been strangling her to death, he gently wiped her lips with an icy tenderness. Her plump lips were smeared under his fingertips.

Vivian tried to pull away to maintain her dignity, but the force gripping her chin explained what would happen if she retreated any further.

“But not today.”

There was no anger felt in his monotone voice. His dry eyes projected some emotion of his own. It made her heart heavier and more distressed.

“In moderation. When the time is right.”

He quietly met her eyes, inducing silence. The implication was clear.

That while she was free to flee from death, the price of freedom would be paid by someone else.

Vivian had read his mind. Hiding her eyes full of dismay behind her eyelids, she secretly exhaled a helpless breath.

The wheels that had been rolling noisily grew quiet. Before the situation could settle, the carriage door opened and wind carrying the scent of wet earth rushed inside. The servant, who had not anticipated the situation inside the carriage at all, apologized unnecessarily in surprise and withdrew.

What came with frustration was humiliation. The one pinned beneath the Duke of Baitness with her face held was not accustomed to such humiliation.

“Open your eyes, Miss Eveline.”

The merciless man finally drove her to the edge of the cliff. When the hand supporting her face disappeared, her head dropped limply. At the end of her gaze were the Duke’s shoes, gleaming brightly even in the rain. Those damn shoes, the complete opposite of her own disheveled state, strongly reinforced Vivian’s despair.

“It’s too early to act like a tragic heroine when nothing has even started yet.”

She wanted to see the Duke’s eyes at his sarcastic words. Wanting to check if they were still dry and parched, she lifted her head. But Vivian only confirmed that the ascot tie that should have been around his neck was extended from Edwin’s fingertips, and she became terrified.

“So let’s stop the crying for today. You’ll have plenty to cry about in the future.”

There was no strength left to move. Even as the hand holding the tie approached, closing her eyes tightly was the best she could do. When the cold hand touched her skin, her nape tensed up stiffly, but contrary to her worries, nothing happened.

Vivian quietly opened her eyes slightly to read the situation. His hand had withdrawn politely, creating distance between their bodies. The air felt somewhat lighter, allowing her to breathe a little easier. When she fully opened her eyes, her vision cleared, and Edwin, looking down arrogantly, calmly murmured.

“What did you say earlier?”

Vivian slowly looked down at her neck. She could not explain why the tie that should have been around Edwin’s neck was on her instead.

“Didn’t you say you would stop by the clothing shop and buy the gift I wanted?”

The tie still held his warmth. The gentle warmth of the man who had just tried to take her breath away, yet acted as if nothing had happened, sent chills down her spine.

“Then you understand now, Miss Eveline.”

Whether he wore his characteristically clean smile, or a cynical expression. Or if he whispered calmly with an expression she did not know.

“The gift I want isn’t at the clothing shop. It’s only with you.”

Tears welling up in her eyes blurred the man before her.

Theo quietly observed the unfinished dress hanging on the dress form. There was something unsatisfying about it, so he paced around it, pondering deeply.

Would it be better to finish this part with gold thread? Would that go better with golden hair? Should I change the shoulders to tulle? What if I layer the fabric like this?

Theo, who had been contemplating without noticing the passage of time, looked at the clock. As it was almost time for the owner of this dress to arrive, he left the cutting room and firmly closed the door. The next task was to dust every nook and cranny with the mindset of not allowing a single speck of dust in the clothing shop.

Today was the day Vivian was supposed to come. Since the owner of the mansion had changed and he could not go there, this was the only time he could meet Vivian when she came to bring the embroidery.

“It’s raining, so she might be late. Should I go out and check? The road isn’t bad, but still.”

Theo scanned the clothing shop one more time. Then, noticing a single speck of white dust that had fallen on the cherry-colored table, he picked it up and threw it out the window. Just then, he saw a carriage stop across from the clothing shop.

He confirmed it was a carriage bearing the Baitness family crest. Certain that Vivian would be inside the carriage, Theo rushed out of the clothing shop.

Though the carriage was clearly stopped in the rain, there was no response. The curtained carriage prevented any view of the interior, and after a servant’s feet were seen below, they soon moved away from the carriage.

“Why isn’t anyone getting out?”

Just as an anxious Theo was about to step beyond the porch, the carriage wheels began to roll. Behind the departing carriage appeared Vivian under an umbrella. Theo leapt into the rain with a face full of joy, excitement, and worry.

“My lady!”

As he got closer, Vivian’s dazed expression became clearer, and anxiety overwhelmed him.

“…My lady?”

Moreover, the incongruous sight of her wearing a man’s accessory around her neck added fuel to his murky emotions.

“Did something happen? Did you come with Duke Baitness?”

His eyes, which had been following the now distant Baitness family carriage, returned to the stunned Vivian. Despite the dire situation without even a single sturdy wall for support, he did not think that mere servants could have devastated Vivian so terribly.

Then just one person.

The only one who could reduce Vivian to such a state was Duke Baitness.

Her eyes were red, and there were tear stains on her clear cheeks. Her lips were swollen, and the small hand holding the umbrella trembled slightly. Even her golden hair was excessively disheveled for it to be merely due to the weather, adding certainty upon certainty.

The public’s evaluation of Duke Baitness was profoundly deep. They loved the noble and pure Duke Baitness and praised him as the hope of Newway.

But I don’t believe in that kind of reputation.

When he first encountered the Duke, he read impurity in the Duke’s intention to persistently send him away, and he had been constantly worried about Vivian staying alone in the mansion.

“…Let’s go inside for now. I’ll brew some warm tea. Can you walk?”

Theo quietly supported Vivian in her distress. Her shoe-clad feet dragged along the ground as she leaned on Theo.

‘Father… I actually saved the youngest son of House Raven.’

14 years ago, when she had run away without a word by ordering the coachman, her father had scolded her severely. Knowing she would be punished even more, the dejected girl had no choice but to confess to her father, whose anger she had never seen before. The girl, hanging her head, had to wait for the stern punishment from her usually kind father as she shed thick tears.

But instead of a frightening punishment, her father chose to silently embrace her.

When her father’s reaction deviated from expectations, the tension dissipated and tears flowed for no reason. The father strongly embraced his daughter, who was sobbing pitifully in his arms. There might have been some slight sobbing heard, but she thought it was just her own intense crying.

“Aren’t you cold?”

Theo, who had brought tea to the reception room, sat across from her. She nodded her head up and down blankly while staring at the steaming teacup.

“Did Duke Baitness lay hands on you, my lady?”

Theo had no way of speaking indirectly. Though this was true, Vivian could only shake her head.

“My lady.”

“…”

“I’m always on your side. Even if you’re not on my side, I’ll always take your side. So please tell me. That’s the only way I can protect you.”

She lied knowing it would be discovered, out of consideration, but her weakened heart whispered in her ear.

If it’s Theo. At least to Theo. Because it’s Theo.

Her swollen lips hesitated and then opened as if she had made up her mind. If not for the sound of the bell ringing in the clothing shop at that moment, she might have blurted out everything.

“…Just a moment. Please wait here, my lady. I’ll be right back.”

Theo hesitated for a moment, then reassured her several times that he would return before leaving the reception room.

Once alone, she came to her senses. The kind and deeply affectionate Theo Evans was the type of person who would use his entire fortune to repay the debt owed to the Duke after hearing her story. To such a person, she was about to tell everything about the incident 14 years ago, how the Duke was using the debt to bind her, and that his purpose was to kill her.

You selfish and hypocritical human.

Feeling self-loathing, Vivian stood up abruptly and approached the mirror on the wall. With still trembling hands, she untied Edwin’s tie.

The blue bruise that had already formed was the wound left by Sayer Raven. She recalled him who had undone his own tie to cover her wound. Another surge of painful emotion. The unclear form of emotion that choked her more than when the Duke had strangled her neck.

To erase this emotion of unknown origin, she wrapped the ascot tie around her neck, perfectly concealing the bruise.

The decision to sell the completed embroidery next time was because she knew she would become even more precarious than now. Because she had no confidence in despising herself for blurting out everything at the sound of Theo’s voice.

As Vivian turned to leave, she met eyes with Theo who was attending to a customer as she exited the reception room. She then faced the arriving customer, and seeing the familiar face, she momentarily forgot her painful wound and put on a welcoming expression.

“Mrs. Monty?”

“Oh my, young lady.”

“What a coincidence to meet you here. Have you been well? Natalie must have grown a lot?”

Her palm stung from her nails digging in as she clenched her fist tightly while forcing a flawless smile.

“Of course. It’s all thanks to you, Miss Eveline. Is there still no news of Mr. Eveline? Everyone in the village is anxiously waiting for news of him.”

“I’m sorry for causing you worry, ma’am.”

“Oh dear, no need to apologize. We’re heartbroken that we can’t be of help. By the way, what brings you here? Ah, you came to sell embroidery, didn’t you? Theo, did you tell the young lady? Her embroidery is incredibly popular.”

Mrs. Monty changed the subject to avoid aggravating Vivian’s anxiety further. While Theo awkwardly pulled at the corners of his mouth as he dealt with Mrs. Monty, Vivian signaled with her eyes that she would go ahead, and Theo pleaded with his eyes for her not to. Ignoring Theo’s efforts, Vivian was looking for the right moment to leave.

“There’s been a constant stream of people wanting to buy them, so the clothing shop has been bustling lately… Oh? But what’s this? Isn’t this a man’s?”

Mrs. Monty craned her neck to get a closer look at what was around Vivian’s neck. Vivian’s heart sank as she hid the tie in her palm and turned her body away.

Why did I do that?

Why did I try to hide his ascot tie?

Was it for fear of exposing the uncomfortable truth about the Duke whom the people of Newway love so dearly? Or was it because of the humiliating fact that the noble only daughter of a fallen aristocratic family had been strangled?

No.

It was because of that incident 14 years ago, the root of all troubles. For fear of recalling the disgrace that her own father had annihilated an entire family.

14 years ago, after House Raven disappeared into the annals of history, House Eveline also could not walk an easy path. The people criticized, saying the method of driving out House Raven was filthy and cruel, questioning if it had to go that far, that it was excessive and merely a massacre.

You selfish and hypocritical human.

She judged herself thus for thinking of her father’s reputation in this situation.

“I felt like I might catch a cold… With nothing else to put around my neck, this is what I hastily grabbed. I just remembered something I need to do, so I’ll be heading back now. Please stay and enjoy yourself, ma’am.”

Her expression, which she had managed to keep under control until now, was a complete mess. Vivian hurriedly wrapped things up and left. She sensed Theo’s footsteps trying to follow her, but Vivian never looked back.