‘Really?’

How could I forget that face?

Although he has grown quite tall, his curly black hair remains the same, and his violet eyes have become even deeper.

Sharp gaze, lips tinged with a red energy, and a face so pale it’s almost white.

Overall, the face is pretty and youthful. The expression and the way he keeps his mouth shut, showing a stubbornness, especially resemble the past when he was young.

“……. ”

It seemed he was quite surprised to find me here.

“Do you need anything?”

“Please bring me a warm tea.”

At the right moment, the butler approached Roger. He requested a warm tea and organized his movements.

The most changed thing is his voice. The voice that has passed through adolescence is somewhat high for a man but husky. It was a voice that suited well with Roger.

“Have you been waiting long?”

“……Yes?”

I raised my voice in response to Roger’s question.

The appearance was clearly Roger.

It was Roger, but the atmosphere was completely different. It wasn’t just that Roger had grown up and the atmosphere had changed. The atmosphere emanating from him was like someone else entirely, not Roger.

How have you been, what have you been doing, I’m sorry for breaking the promise—there were many things I wanted to say, but my lips wouldn’t part.

I thought that meeting Roger again would make me cry, but that wasn’t the case either.

Is this guy really Roger?

Roger took the freshly brewed black tea and immediately sipped it. As the warmth entered his body, his face became noticeably more comfortable.

“I’m sorry for being late. As you can see, it’s snowing quite a lot.”

“……. ”

“Allow me to introduce myself. I am Raul von Silias.”

What? “Raul… Von Silias?”

“Is there a problem?”

Isn’t he Roger? No…

The guy in front of me is definitely Roger. I couldn’t forget Roger…

“Miss?”

“I—I’m Lize Marsen, the daughter of Count Marsen.”

“……. ”

To see Roger’s reaction, I revealed my family name and title. He seemed slightly shaken and furrowed his brow.

“I apologize. My master didn’t inform me separately about your information. I didn’t know that the daughter of Count Marsen would come out.”

“But you still came.”

“Master’s orders are absolute.”

With a smirk, Roger sipped the tea. I scrutinized Roger’s gestures, actions, expressions, and even subtle movements.

Maybe because of that, Roger’s actions seemed somewhat stiff and calculated. Even the apparent composure looked like it was all meticulously prepared.

“Anyway, thank you for waiting. My master says the course meal here is excellent. Shall we have a meal together and talk comfortably?”

“……. ”

“Miss?”

“Sure.”

It was soon twelve o’clock. Originally, I planned to go to the Penton mansion by two o’clock, but…

The plan got twisted.

In any case, the exact time Yuric and I agreed upon was around four to five. I planned to uncover the identity of this suspicious Roger, no, Lord Raul, here.

However, he didn’t seem willing to easily reveal his identity. Although he seemed indecisive, in the end, he concealed himself.

I don’t know his intentions, but since the other party is cautious, I have to be cautious too.

I followed Roger’s gesture of drinking tea. His hands, exposed to the cold without gloves, were so red that they seemed painful.

I didn’t know about his personality, but Roger’s body and face were always honest, I remembered.

“…Your name is Raul?”

“Is there a problem with my name?”

“No.”

“……. ”

“Although violet eyes may not be common… it reminds me of a friend from my childhood. That friend also had violet eyes.”

I took the initiative.

“Really?”

“Looking closely, Lord, you resemble that friend quite a lot.”

“……. ”

“It’s strangely similar.”

I deliberately emphasized the last words. Roger hid his smile and swallowed another sip of black tea.

“My face is a bit common. Even violet eyes are a more common color than you’d think.”

“Even if you say eyes, I can’t agree that your face is common.”

“Why?”

“…Because it’s beautiful.”

“Cough!”
Upon hearing my response, Roger suddenly coughed.

The remark about being beautiful was not an empty word. I hadn’t admitted it until the end, but Roger had always heard compliments about his good looks from people around him.

From Felicia to Silke, even Yune blushed while looking at Roger’s appearance.

Although I didn’t understand them back then, now I was sure. He was a beautiful and handsome man, with a slightly delicate feel.

“Ah, I’m sorry. It’s the first time I’ve heard such a comment about a lady.”

“Was it impolite?”

“No. But I can’t agree with that statement either.”

“May I ask why?”

“Because you are more beautiful.”

…That person might not be Roger. The Roger I know is not the type to boldly make such embarrassing remarks.

“…”

“…”

Silence fell. Then, Roger’s face, which had been perfectly fine, gradually turned red.

“…Ahem, I apologize.”

Seeming unsure, Roger gulped down the tea at once. Not only that, but he also asked for another cup of tea after making eye contact with the butler.

“Do you often feel thirsty?”