“What do you mean?”

“Don’t expect too much, Mion. Ansi has no one else to cling to but you. It’s easy to say sweet words to someone you need to depend on.”

“You don’t seem to know, but my expectations are very low. I’m satisfied as long as I’m not treated like a dog just because I’m an illegitimate child.”

“Shall I ask Ansi if she really doesn’t see you as a dog? Does she know about the time you barked like a dog in front of me?”

Damion’s expression hardened for a moment. But soon he pretended to be calm and spoke.

“Don’t try to test me. She’s not a woman with interesting reactions. There’s nothing good for you in stirring up such things, elder brother.”

“Is that so? I think differently, Mion.”

Kardian narrowed his eyes.

Damion stared at Kardian silently. His tightened lips clearly revealed his discomfort.

Transparent. This rebellion is a bit interesting. Kardian paused for a moment before speaking.

“I find Ansi’s reactions fascinating. Every expression and tone of voice. To the point where I’m envious and regretful that only you get to see them.”

“You crazy bastard.”

A curse immediately burst out. Kardian let out a laugh.

“Mion, I told you not to use such bad words. You still haven’t broken your childhood habits. Even though I taught you better.”

“Stay away from Ansi.”

Sharp eyes full of wariness and hostility pointed at Kardian like a sharp sword. Kardian nodded as if doing a favor.

“If you ask like that, I’ll think about it.”

Damion turned his body. He went back down the stairs without looking back.

The elegant music echoing on the second floor drained all the strength from Damion’s body. Annoyed by the inappropriately leisurely music, he left the annex with large strides.

The view from the annex was beautiful. Damion wanted to have that scenery. No, he wanted to take it away from Kardian. He wanted to become the master of this place and look down on Kardian standing on the dark walking path.

But as he stepped onto that dark walking path again, Damion suddenly thought.

When he had that scenery, where would that woman be?

Would she be able to walk this path together and enter the annex? Walking this damp and dark path, over and over… could they see that scenery together?

Well.

According to his plan, if it came to that, perhaps Ansi would become soil at the center of that walkway. Those blue eyes swaying like waves, those wary stiff lips, that dignified straight body…

Thinking about it… he felt somehow dizzy. With each step, thoughts of that woman deepened like darkness. Just as he was about to think that he shouldn’t have set foot on this walkway in the first place.

Strangely, her scent could be felt among the grass.

Was his brain malfunctioning after being filled with thoughts of her, even affecting his sense of smell, or was she really here? He couldn’t tell.

Damion’s steps slowed.

He could search for her if he wanted to.

He could call out her name, or peer between the dense trees.

However, Damion did not do so.

He was afraid to confirm.

If he saw her in this darkness, he felt he might really waver. He might even grab her arm and run away, saying he didn’t want her to become soil like some madman.

That couldn’t happen.

Knowing it couldn’t happen… Damion did nothing.

He just moved his steps slowly, very slowly.

In case she might step on even a twig. Or make even a small breath. In case she might show that welcoming expression like she did that night in the maze…

But until the end, Ansi did not reveal herself.

It seemed he really was crazy after all.

The sunlight, now softer than before, rippled over the lake. Ansi sat on the grass, staring intently at some point in the middle of the water. It was a beautiful sight, but it didn’t register in her eyes now.

She needed to sort out her thoughts, and her heart, before seeing Damion’s face.

That’s when it happened.

“Why are you alone in a place like this?”

Ansi turned around at the sudden voice.

Kardian was approaching. She hurriedly got up and took a step back.

Did he pass by here by chance? Or did he know I was here?

As if reading Ansi’s mind, Kardian spoke again.

“You can see this lake from the annex. I saw a tiny person and somehow thought it might be Ansi.”

It was unclear what he meant by that. They weren’t close enough for him to come all the way here to find her from so far away. From the beginning, this bastard seemed incapable of realizing that his presence might be unwelcome.

However, Ansi raised the corners of her mouth as if nothing was wrong.

“Just… the lake is beautiful. I was admiring it.”

“Sobellio is most beautiful at this time. I’ve often lost myself gazing at it too. Did Bekishi show you around well?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Is that so? But you didn’t come to the annex.”

Kardian lowered his eyebrows. As if he was somehow disappointed.

“Bekishi said… that you would be in the annex, sir. I told her I’d go later because I didn’t want to disturb you.”

“I wouldn’t have minded. You made an unnecessary consideration.”

“Ah… then next time I’ll definitely…”

“Would you like to go now?”

Ansi froze at Kardian’s suggestion. Go now? You and me? Unable to find words to reply, she rolled her eyes and just dragged out her words.

“Um… well…”

It was already overwhelming just to face this damn bastard and have a conversation. Especially now that she knew how he had treated Damion.

But she couldn’t just get rid of Kardian right away either. She answered without looking at Kardian properly.

“Thank you for your consideration, sir. I’ll go later with Damion.”

“Hmm… is that so?”

Kardian rolled his eyes indifferently, then grinned.

“Then let’s talk here.”

“About what?”

“About Damion.”

“If it’s about Damion, I heard yesterday. You don’t need to explain separately.”

“How would you feel if you suddenly had a younger sibling with a different mother?”

“…”

Don’t think anything. No, let’s count to 100, to 500 internally. Ansi constantly tried to restrain herself.

The last time she went to see the duchess at Orfe in the capital, she later regretted lashing out at Kardian, who was spouting nonsense while even giving her a hairpin.

Damion didn’t want to bring her into the center of Orfe, but hadn’t she cut off another connection with her own hands?

So this time, let’s try not to say anything unnecessary.

“…You must have been shocked. You might have resented Damion. But you must know it’s not Damion’s fault.”

Ansi spoke as calmly as possible while trying to lift her hardening expression.

However, Kardian shook his head. He laughed in a voice as clear as the lake spread out beside them.

“You’re wrong, Ansi. I was just happy. To have a younger brother.”

Happy? It was hard to believe such words coming from the mouth of someone who had treated Damion like a toy. But Kardian seemed sincere. Really, without any resentment… he just looked joyful.

“There were only adults around, but suddenly a younger, smaller, cute brother came in. So how happy do you think I was? Rather, it was Damion who was wary of me.”

Goosebumps rose all over her body. The question of whether he had bullied him because he was so young and small rose to the tip of her tongue.

“Ah, have you heard why Damion’s mother passed away?”

“Sir Kardian.”

Ansi finally cut off Kardian’s words. It was becoming difficult to manage her expression any longer.

“Now you’re looking at me properly.”

Kardian smiled gently, as if that pleased him somehow. He took a step closer to Ansi. And lowering his head, he whispered in her ear.

“How much do you trust Damion?”

“What’s your intention in asking that question?”

“That child killed his mother and entered this house.”

The soft voice settled coldly. Ansi took a big step back. Her heart was pounding.

“…Don’t say such nonsense.”

“If that’s what you think, there’s nothing I can do. Ask Damion about this too, then.”

Ansi’s face crumpled. Kardian’s intentions were obvious. It was a ploy to isolate and torment her like this. He was probably trying to break her trust by spreading bad stories about Damion.

But at least for Ansi, there was no one worse than Kardian. Regardless of what kind of person Damion was.

“…You seem to worry a lot about your younger brother, sir.”

Kardian’s lips twisted.

To interpret what he said as worry? And not even worry for her, but for Damion? No matter how much she was pretending not to know, he couldn’t understand the logic behind it.

Especially with such a clear hostility on her face.

“…That’s right. Because he’s my brother.”

He went along with it for now. Ansi nodded while clasping her hands tightly.

“Yes, I suppose you keep showing interest like this because you still see Damion as a young brother. I appreciate your concern for me as well. But… you don’t have to do that.”

“…”

“Damion is my husband now. I’ll take good care of him instead of you, sir. So please don’t worry about it anymore.”

Kardian’s eyes narrowed.

“Stay away from Ansi.”

The words he had heard from Damion today echoed in his ears.