As if recalling a newspaper article, Alejandro’s expression also became serious. After a moment, Alejandro spoke.

“…It’s been ten years since the current acting count exercised his proxy rights after the victory banquet. It will probably coincide with the final banquet of this tenth anniversary victory festival.”

“About two months left. So I need to show something within that time.”

“…”

“Of course, something completely opposite to dropping glasses.”

“Sir!”

Alejandro’s disgusted face was a bit funny. The tension seemed to be easing slightly. Nerea slowly mulled over her words.

To exercise authority as a count again after being in seclusion for ten years, she had to show the opposite of the ‘symptoms’ at the victory banquet.

In one go, so that her father couldn’t delay, and the crown princess Brianna couldn’t use any tricks. And yet, in a way that the emperor couldn’t take her father’s side. So that no nobleman could raise objections.

There were many variables to consider. Nerea frowned and then pouted. As her mouth went dry, Alejandro carefully said,

“By the way, sir.”

“Yes?”

“May I dare ask one thing?”

“Why so serious?”

Nerea chuckled and gave permission. At that moment, Alejandro’s eyes became infinitely deep. There was a hint of killing intent at the end of his sharply honed gaze.

“…What kind of punishment will you give them?”

For a moment, Nerea was at a loss for words.

“…Punishment, huh.”

Nerea rolled the words around in her mouth.

As if waiting for her to be ready, Alejandro remained silent for a moment before calmly continuing.

“Yes. Even if you return as count, the crown princess is already registered in the imperial family. Because of that, the current acting count might receive another title by some means.”

Alejandro was right.

The noble society that Nerea had ultimately failed to settle in was narrow and ran strictly by power. Of course, one could return anytime if there was a justification, even after leaving briefly.

“…Among the nobles, the crown princess and father will naturally have more power than me.”

In the slowly muttered words, Alejandro flinched at the word ‘father’. At the same time, bitter water rose in his throat.

Those who are ‘enemies’ to be eliminated for me are still father to the knight.

Alejandro couldn’t say anything.

“Anyway, in the end, the emperor will have to choose whether to abandon the crown princess or ignore me again.”

Nerea nodded her head slightly. It was a situation she had already experienced once.

“Of course, the easiest and cleanest option would be me. Having experienced danger once, my mere existence might feel cumbersome. So perhaps this time…”

“Sir!”

Cutting off her words, Alejandro shouted towards his knight. As his heart sank, chilling his blood, the knight’s unfinished words seemed to echo in his ears.

‘They might dispose of me.’

Alejandro clenched his fist tightly. Even biting the inside of his cheek, he couldn’t feel any sensation.

The knight shrugged as if making a joke.

“They say the current emperor’s power is stronger than ever. I heard bits and pieces of news until five years ago. The newspapers are often wrong, but that seemed to be true.”

As his sunken heart slowly regained its rhythm, Alejandro, swallowing his desperate expression, spoke to his knight.

“But you’re the one who laid the foundation for that strength, aren’t you, sir?”

The current imperial power’s foundation being Nerea, who ended the war but was ultimately abandoned by the emperor – herself. At this contradictory situation, Nerea blinked. Then at some point, the corners of her lips turned up.

“That’s right. Alejandro. I was that foundation.”

Nerea slowly repeated Alejandro’s words.

“Thanks to that, I’ve come to my senses.”

“That’s good. I thought my heart was going to burst again, but it’s a win-win if you’ve come to your senses, sir.”

“What?”

Nerea chuckled at the sulky voice. The head turned away as if upset was somehow exactly like the old days, so Nerea snuggled up close to Alejandro and said,

“Let me see. Are you sulking again?”

At the teasing voice full of laughter, Alejandro glanced at her slightly.

Ah, it was a bit close.

Pitch-black eyes like the falling night were right in front of her. Whether due to the sunlight or because of the close proximity, Alejandro’s eyes seemed especially bright today.

It was just like…

“The stars are out.”

Feeling as if she was facing stars, Nerea muttered unconsciously. Then she stepped back a little with an awkward smile.

“That was too close. Right?”

She thought he would laugh along, but Alejandro just blinked, remaining still.

No way.

“…Are you really upset?”

As she asked carefully, there was a knock-knock sound. It was Johnny. Nerea smiled a little at his exaggeratedly formal manner.

“I greet Count Esteban. I hope your first day at the Rosa Count’s residence was pleasant. It’s nothing else, but…”

“Yes. You came for that matter.”

Alejandro suddenly stood up, interrupting Johnny’s words. The voice, lower than before as if his throat had tightened, puzzled not only Nerea.

“That matter?”

“Come out. We need to resolve it right away.”

Alejandro bowed slightly and hurriedly left the room. Johnny followed him, apparently to deal with an urgent matter.

“I apologize, Count. It’s about our goods shipment arriving… I’ll come back to greet you properly later!”

The room suddenly went quiet with the two of them gone. Nerea just blinked and then chuckled.

Well, he’s the head of the largest merchant guild in Castarty. How busy must he be.

Nerea slowly leaned back on the sofa. It was usually nap time in Alpern. Perhaps because she had lived the same way for five years, her body felt lazily relaxed.

But her mind was clearer than ever. Nerea slowly closed her eyes. As her vision turned pitch black, the first thing she needed to do became clear.

Showing everyone that it was okay for her to take on the count’s position while simultaneously straining the relationship between the emperor and her father.

But how…

Nerea bit her lip nervously.

Though she had a general idea, she couldn’t think of an appropriate method. It was then that a faint light pierced through the pitch-black darkness.

Probably just sunlight falling on her eyelids. Nerea opened her eyes slightly and chuckled. The sunlight was reflecting off the mirror on the wall, asserting its presence.

If only I could stand out that intensely…

Suddenly, Nerea’s eyes cooled sharply. As the tension left her jaw that had been nervously biting her lower lip, Nerea looked at the lusterless armors.

How could I be so stupid.

Nothing could be as intense as her black armor that Alejandro supposedly had…!

This was no time to dawdle.

Nerea hurriedly got up. And she put on the wrist guard on the display stand. As she had chanted to herself last night, she absolutely must not get hurt now.

Perhaps due to her urgency, her hands trembled. Once upon a time, when her hands trembled, Nerea would become disoriented and flustered.

But not now. With a heart more excited than anyone’s, Nerea left the room. The head maid, Marsa, who was about to enter with cookies, asked with a surprised face.

“I greet you, Count. Where are you going?”

Nerea grinned and nodded. Then she ran towards the underground training ground. Perhaps because there were few servants, she didn’t encounter anyone in the hallway.

The strictly standing guards paid no attention to her. As she descended the spiral staircase, a daytime illumination different from night greeted her.

Feeling something welling up inside her, Nerea stared at the training ground for a long time. Only after touching everything inside did she grab the wooden sword closest to her.

It was the first time she had touched a wooden sword since receiving one as a birthday gift long ago.

The faint smile on her lips became serious in an instant.

Nerea took a deep breath and swung the wooden sword.

With each slash of the blade through the air, Nerea recalled the place where the sound of clashing metal had rung out ear-piercingly.

The battlefield where blades came rushing in the blink of an eye. Amidst the tense atmosphere, her long-unused muscles seemed to scream in protest. But even the aching sensation in her wrist felt terribly sweet.

She felt fiercely alive. Confidence built up that she could move forward more intensely than anyone.

At some point she sensed a presence, but it was alright. Alejandro was someone within Nerea’s circle.

.

.

.

Alejandro, who had come out into the hallway using Johnny as an excuse, headed aimlessly towards his office. The tips of his ears were burning hot and his throat felt sore, as if he had caught a cold.

I shouldn’t pass a cold to the precious knight… So it’s right to leave now.

Thinking of the knight made the back of his neck flush hot again.

Those aqua eyes sparkling like sunlight pouring onto a misty lake. That transparent white skin…

Just like being burned, an odd sensation followed, and Johnny’s voice drew near.

“Alejandro. What’s so urgent, anyway?”

As a hand grabbed his shoulder, Alejandro turned around weakly, unlike his usual self. Johnny’s face, slightly shorter than Alejandro, looked at him as if something was off.

“…Why does your face look like that?”

“Like what?”

“That’s what I’m asking. What is it?”

With each tilt of Johnny’s head, Alejandro’s heart beat strangely.