Once, a rain-soaked nobleman visited the craftsman to order a pocket watch as a gift for his wife. Despite his noble status, he talked to the craftsman personally, sharing his story. In the world of nobility where arranged marriages were common, some nobles treated each other with respect and consideration, while others were distant and colder than strangers. This nobleman belonged to the latter category.

However, he later realized he loved his wife and, thinking it was too late, tried to hide his feelings. His son noticed this and maturely advised him to be good to his mother. Reflecting on himself, the nobleman carefully chose the pendant and strap for the watch and included his wife’s favorite painting in it.

Planning to pick it up after visiting his territory’s chapel, he never returned. The craftsman, too, passed away shortly, and the watch ended up with the shop owner.

Though it was unclear why it never reached its original owner, the watch had been carefully preserved in the antique shop for years.

Learning her own watch had a story, Viare gazed at it thoughtfully.

The shop owner, observing her, gently asked,

“Do you know there’s a meaning behind gifting a watch?”

Viare shifted her gaze from the watch to him, indicating for him to continue.

“A meaning behind gifting a watch?”

Nodding, the owner smiled kindly and said,

“Indeed. Every gift has its meaning.”

According to him, gifting a watch signifies the desire to ‘spend time together with the person.’

‘Spending time together…’
What Viare had always wanted, both in the past and present, was simultaneously a wish that could no longer be fulfilled.

“Could you sell this to me?” she inquired about the pocket watch.

“Since you recognize the value of such a precious item, please take it with you,” the shopkeeper replied, adding that he believed the original owners had likely forgotten about it, as they hadn’t appeared for so long.

He expressed joy that someone who appreciated the true worth of the long-stored and ownerless pocket watch had finally appeared. Viare thought that since the watch had ended up in Dension’s hands in her past life and then came to her, it was unlikely that the original owner would ever appear again.

“Still, it’s an item with a story. I’m not sure if I should take it.”

“Please accept it. This watch too would wish to be passed on to someone who knows its story,” he urged.

Reluctantly nodding, Viare took the paper bag containing the pocket watch and left the antique shop. Holding the watch that had returned to her hands, she was overwhelmed with nostalgia and longing for Dension.

Previously, it was a gift from Dension to her, but now, naturally, he was unaware of the watch’s existence. Therefore, she wanted to gift it to him this time.

If she couldn’t spend time with him, at least she wanted them to share the same time.

‘Previously, it was a gift from you, but this time, I hope you’ll accept a gift from me.’

With her engagement to Ivan looming, Viare thought she should give the watch to Dension before that day arrived.

Deciding to present it to him soon under the pretext of a return gift, she resumed her walk along the streets of Lanvin Art.

‘If only that nobleman had realized his feelings a bit earlier…’

The nobleman who had ordered the pocket watch must have also realized his feelings too late, living with regret and self-reproach every day.

Love, a complex emotion, can elevate a person to greatness yet also render them fragile and vulnerable. It often leads to misunderstandings, doubts, and disbelief.

If the god Ekarto truly existed, Viare mused, he had created a rather fearsome creature indeed.