Yubia, who always acted like an old man, made an appropriate sound for the first time and ran away. After barely defeating the guy, Zion let out a long sigh, releasing the pent-up frustration.

It felt like all he had eaten was adding up. The reason was undoubtedly Ibi’s gentle and affectionate atmosphere.

Even during the meal, Ibi smiled brightly. Unlike the feigned smiles and sardonic sarcasm she had shown to Zion before, it was a sweet laughter that could be misunderstood by a nineteen-year-old man.

Thinking of that face, Zion’s insides felt even more uneasy.

It was misguided, uncomfortable, and inappropriate.

Initially, he doubted that she might betray him, but now he wished she would just hit him on the back of the head.

The sense of victory he felt when carrying Ibi no longer existed. It was a judgment made with the foresight of regret and embarrassment when dealing with Ibi in the future.
However, instead of feeling embarrassed, Ibi erased the distance as if she had fallen in love, and Zion eventually realized. He recognized that Ibi’s attitude had truly changed, and wondered where it originated.

‘Now of all times.’

Zion burst into a bitter laughter, feeling complicated.

It was perplexing that Ibi, who had changed her attitude in just a few days since recognizing him, had become such an interesting troublemaker. Thanks to her, Zion, who had been withholding judgment for several years, had become an indecisive person.

When Zion met Ibi, he hoped that she would recognize him. However, he also didn’t want to get too deeply involved with Ibi.

Because I am Zion Laurel, not that man. Even if memories of you fill my mind.

Aware of his own contradiction, Zion wiped the moisture from the plates with a bitter feeling.

Deliberately moving slowly, his hands revealed the bottom of the piled-up dishes in no time.

The dishwashing was done. Now it was time to go upstairs, where Ibi was waiting.

Meanwhile, the sky had become cloudy. It seemed like rain was about to fall again.

When Zion went upstairs, Ibi was waiting for him in the room with a comfortable chair.

Whether she heard the footsteps or not, Ibi, sitting on the sofa, turned around and smiled at the doorway.

Seeing that, Zion felt nauseous again.

Her bright smiling face was beautiful. It even gave an illusion that the dark house was becoming brighter.

So, Zion tried hard not to feel any emotions, and with a colder face than usual, he sat in the comfortable chair opposite Ibi.

Finally facing each other, Ibi took the initiative.

“Thank you, Viscount.”

“…What are you talking about?”

“For saving me in the arena and bringing me to the room when I fell asleep in the garden.”

Ibi’s greeting was sincere. It was somewhat poignant, and Zion even felt a sense of torment.

“I thought you had forgotten about the past.”

In the end, the honest man started picking a fight.

“Greetings were quite delayed.”

Ibi’s eyes, which had been warm, slightly chilled at his cold and unfortunate reply.

Well, come at me then.

Zion stared at Ibi cheekily, expecting a counterattack.

However, contrary to his expectations, the staring contest did not begin. Ibi’s expression, which had momentarily stiffened, quickly softened.

With her usually gentle face, Ibi, sounding somewhat disappointed, said, “You’re not that late, Viscount.”

Zion didn’t understand her words.

So, after thinking for a moment, he was belatedly at a loss for words.

Tap, tap.

At that moment, raindrops hit the window. The heavily clouded sky seemed determined to sprinkle rain.

Leaving Zion lost for words, Ibi looked at the raindrops on the window and said, “I heard from Aunt Marso. You visited the temple a long time ago.”

Last month, a few days after enduring a terrible Friday. Ibi was talking with Lady Marso about buying this house.

Ibi, did the teacher not say anything to you?
―No, come to think of it, it’s strange. I completely forgot because it’s such an old story, but when the teacher first came here, he was looking for you. Didn’t he tell you about it separately?

Mrs. Marso, who was cautious, spoke quietly like this, and so Ibi found out exactly when Zion came to this village.

“I came about a week after leaving this house.”

Ibi’s voice mixed with the sound of rain, monotonously.

“I waited here for over three months after you disappeared. So, Viscount, you’re even later.”

With such a composed tone, Ibi reproached Zion.

So, Zion forgot what he had just been thinking.

His mouth wouldn’t move. His mind felt as if it were blank.

But Ibi nonchalantly continued, as if to say that the man cornered in distress wasn’t pitiful.

“I heard that Viscount first came to this village five years ago and started staying here two years ago. What have you been doing during that time?”

Before Zion could think of an answer, Ibi asked again.

“By any chance, were you looking for me?”

It wasn’t a question but a confirmation.

Thanks to that, Zion’s choked-up feeling became more intense.

The sensation inside his ribcage was stirring, making it nauseating. It was so overwhelming that even breathing felt difficult.

Recognize me. Don’t come near me. I am not that man. But I remember you.

Conflicting emotions surged, tormenting him.

If Ibi had spoken nonchalantly, teasing him like before, Zion wouldn’t have felt this way.

However, Ibi swiftly resolved the confusion on the previously avoided topic, returning to it with a conclusion.

Unlike Zion, who had not yet decided on his feelings and left them pending, Ibi seemed to have made up her mind to shower him with affection.

“I’ll try solving the previous problem again.”

Ibi said to the silent man with an effort to smile.

“Is the astrologer gentleman Lord Laurel?”

The same question as before came back. The answer was correct, but it was a cruel question that tore through Zion’s inner self, the process having gone awry.

As Zion narrowed his eyebrows, seemingly feeling the pain, Ibi quickly corrected her mistake with a trembling voice.

“Is your name Zion Laurel?”

“…Yes.”

As Zion answered heavily, raindrops outside the window began to fall violently.