“I just don’t like Urick Penton, that’s all!”

“Hey, hey. Don’t fight…”

As Swell and Silke started arguing, Bernard, who was in the middle, tried to stop them. However, they ignored Bernard’s words and continued to argue over who would win.

“Rize! Graduates are gathering in the center!”

A friend passing by at that moment spotted me and shouted.

“Rize, I’ll go.”

“Yeah, I’ll be right there. It’s cold, so wait for me inside.”

I handed my coat to Bernard and opened my mouth.

“We’ll take care of that, so go ahead.”

Silke took the bouquet from my hand and replied. Maybe waiting in the cold weather was not a good idea. When I couldn’t easily take a step, Silke pushed me from behind.

I rushed to the center belatedly. The graduates who had already gathered were discussing how to commemorate this day. Other than sprinkling water from the fountain, there wasn’t a specific tradition, so no one could come up with a good suggestion.

I looked down at the uniform I was wearing. The navy blue cape was one of the representative uniforms of the Beneditinus Girls’ Dormitory School.

“How about throwing the cap into the sky?”

Some people were puzzled by my suggestion, but most of them showed a positive reaction. My suggestion was adopted, and everyone prepared to take off and throw away their cap. And one, two, three!

Just then, the wind stopped, and the caps went straight up. The fluttering capes created a new sky.

At the age of seventeen, I finally graduated.

After the graduation ceremony, I spent a week in Polon instead of Hosha Village. There, I had a small graduation party and received several gifts.

“Rize, I missed you!”

“Hello, Rize.”

“You came?”

I also met Felicia, who had been busy with the wedding preparations, and Mother and Rodney, who came up to the mansion.

Felicia said she was short of ten bodies, attending social events and parties for the twins. Rodney, who had become a dignified adult after graduating from college, had already experienced practical work, while Bernard was still in education.

“Rize, what are you going to do now? Are you going to university as expected?”

Bernard asked me. The brothers were gathered in the room, drinking wine after a long time.

“No.”

My unexpected answer made everyone look at me.

“Then… are you going to get married?”

“Really? With Urick Penton?”

Silke and Felicia asked with widened eyes. They weren’t even lovers, so why were they talking about marriage? Before Swell could cause trouble again, I nodded.

“That’s not it. When Viscount Kito comes to Hosh Village, I plan to learn chess from him in earnest. In the first place, I came to the boarding school to learn chess. I’m also considering participating in this year’s chess tournament.”

“Chess tournament? Isn’t the world tournament next year?”

“Not the World Chess Championship, but the Sisset Chess Tournament.”

My brothers couldn’t hide their disappointment at my unexpected answer.

“Okay. Viscount Kito is coming back to Hosh Village.”

“After finishing his business. He’s not the reigning champion anymore.”

“They say a young man named Bodoang defeated the viscount? I heard he’s the youngest champion.”
In response to Rodney’s question, I nodded.

“So when are you going back to Hosh Village?”

Bernard’s question darkened the faces of my brothers. I also didn’t want to return to the Marsen Mansion as much as they wished.

“Probably… in two days?”

“So soon?”

“There’s more time, why!”

Instead of answering, I laughed. Two days, as my brothers said, seemed shorter than I thought.

I helped Mother with her research, and I heard about Felicia’s engagement partner overnight. Silke came to talk to me about her love story, saying she regretted it in the morning. Silke talked about romance, but she seemed uneasy about her future.

After the comforting ended, it was already the day of leaving Polon.

Until I left, I watched Rodney’s work, and time passed without realizing it.

“Rize, be sure to write letters. Got it?”

The brothers, holding their bags, looked at me with regretful expressions as I left the entrance. Mother’s gaze behind them was also directed at me.

My steps were heavy, but a smile appeared on my face.

Silke didn’t let go of my hand until the end. Because of her insistence, I could promise to come back soon and leave the entrance.

“I’ll leave now, miss.”

As I got on the carriage, the coachman’s voice was heard.

In the carriage, my brothers spent time eating the cookies they gave and reading the letters given by friends at graduation. After a while, a noisy sound was heard beyond the carriage.

‘Nothing has changed.’

Beyond the window was the Hosh Village market. The appearance of the buildings, almost unchanged after six years, was evident. The instrument shop, including the doll shop, and the problematic “Tears of the Mermaid” store showed no signs of aging.

As I approached the mansion, my heart became heavier. Even if Father was at the company, Stiana and her son Damian would be there.

The hill I climbed for the first time in a while wasn’t as difficult as I thought. I walked comfortably, and as the mansion gate came into view, my smile faded.

Sike’s question was odd.

‘Is a guest here?’

I felt overwhelmed by the unfamiliar carriage. It seemed I had chosen the wrong day to return. Moreover, the atmosphere inside the mansion was strange, even if Father was there.

While waiting for the guest to leave, I thought about greeting Mrs. Penton and Yune in Penton House. Without much hesitation, when I tried to turn my steps, the door of the black carriage opened.

A long black leg touched the ground.

“…Oh. Are you a guest from the Marsen Viscount’s family?”

“I’m the eldest daughter of the Marsen family.”

I heard a leisurely man’s voice. Finally, the man revealed his appearance. A man with thick black hair and tall stature. His hair was somewhat curly or tangled, but it was still neatly arranged.

“Ah. You’re not a guest; you’re a lady. By the way, I heard that the Marsen Viscount has a daughter.”

“…!”

Seeing the man, my body stiffened.

A man with a scar on one eye.

Ah, this man. I’ve seen him before.

Seven years ago, inside that suspicious alley.

“I apologize. I’m called Theus. Miss.”