“Abamama!”

At that moment, April approached Yan and his companions from a distance.

The maids following April hastily lifted their skirts and bowed their heads upon seeing the Emperor.

“Oh, April. What brings you here?”

“I left the window open, and Kkami ran away, so I went out to find her.”

She smiled as she stroked the little black kitten she was holding.

April’s face, which had been gloomy for a while due to Christine’s affair, brightened. It was all thanks to this black kitten. According to the maids, she never left its side from morning till evening.

Yan didn’t like cats, but he decided to ignore it for the time being until his daughter settled down.

“But did the little one hurt its leg?”

A white handkerchief was tied to the kitten’s leg.

“It climbed a tree and got hurt and couldn’t come down. Someone helped it down. They also tied the handkerchief themselves.”

“Who?”

“It was a young man I’ve never seen before. He said he came to pay his respects to Abamama, but…”

Yan asked Christine, who was behind him.

“Was there anyone specifically scheduled to pay respects today?”

“No, Your Majesty.”

“Is that so? I didn’t even ask his name.”

April muttered with a regretful face.

“Ho, you must have liked him. Such a regretful face.”

Unconsciously glancing at Christine, April pouted.

“No! I’m just bothered that I didn’t properly thank him for the help.”

But Yan smiled more mischievously and asked April’s maids.

“What do you think? Was he a decent man?”

The maids quickly exchanged glances. The Emperor must want to lift April’s spirits in front of Christine.

“He was an unusually handsome man.”

“He had dignity in his actions and speech. He is surely from a noble family.”

“Really? I’m really curious.”

The nobles around Yan intervened as if they had a good idea.

“Couldn’t we identify him by the handkerchief tied to the kitten’s leg?”

“Yes, there might be a family crest on it.”

“That’s a good idea. Check it out.”

The maids carefully untied the handkerchief from the kitten’s leg and examined it.

“It’s here!”

A maid quickly presented the handkerchief to Yan, as if she had found a treasure.

But everyone tilted their heads at the symbol on the handkerchief. It was not a family crest.

“It seems to be the initial letter of the family.”

Everyone agreed with Yan’s words.

“Seems so. I can’t think of a family that comes to mind with just the initial letter.”

Yan laughed, unconcerned.

“Well, he said he came to pay his respects, so he’ll appear sooner or later. Tell me when you find out who he is, April.”

“Uh, no. Abamama! Then, I’ll be going.”

After bowing to Yan, April quickly exchanged glances with Christine and turned around.

Christine could not take his eyes off the back of the princess for a while.

Yan, who had walked a few steps ahead, asked in surprise.

“Why, do you have something to say to her?”

“No. I’m just glad she looks happy.”

And Christine quickly followed Yan.

But he definitely felt it. The ominous smell that was deeply imbued in the handkerchief tied to the cat’s leg.

It was mixed with the smell of blood that might have come from the cat’s wound… unmistakably the smell of human blood.

(This is a time separator.)

After returning to Marble Palace after work, Christine stopped.

The sweet smell of apple pie was wafting in the air.

“It’s apple pie for dinner tonight.”

“Is that so? I don’t smell anything. Surely your nose is like a dog’s…….”

Zimmer, who inadvertently responded, smiled slyly when his eyes met Christine’s.

“Isn’t it strange to say that it’s like a wolf’s nose? Hahaha!”

“Stop barking like a dog and follow me.”

Christine crossed the hall and headed for the kitchen, through the corridor. He had no interest in where the kitchen was, but following the sweet smell would undoubtedly lead him there.

“Your Excellency, the Earl has arrived.”

The servants who saw him quickly bowed their heads and pressed themselves against the wall. But he didn’t notice anyone else.
Before long, he was going to the bakery where Adel’s mother used to work, traveling back in time ten years.

When he finished working in the mine and came back with a hungry stomach, that sweet smell that filled the alley.

That smell used to make him feel like it was coming to greet his weary self. The mere fact that someone was cooking for him would make him smile with satisfaction.

And when he opened the door in anticipation,

“Are you back, Chris? Let’s eat dinner quickly.”

Yes, even back then, you greeted me with such a bright smile.

With a pure white apron and neatly tied hair, swaying like this, with such a dazzlingly beautiful face.

Those days that were nothing special.

And he believed it would last forever.

But it took more than ten years to come back.

Christine, striding, pulled Adel close and embraced her.

“Chris?”

He buried his face in Adel’s neck, filled with the sweet scent of butter and tart apples.

“Just a moment, just like this.”

Yes, this was not a welcome. It hadn’t disappeared.