The winter dawn air exhaled a bitterly harsh chill, causing Biare to shiver slightly.

As she had to report to the Duke early in the morning, she let out a shallow sigh and headed towards the Duke’s study.

For the past 2 years, she had been visiting her father once a week, at a set early morning time, to report on the progress of her work.

Upon reaching the study, she took a deep breath and knocked on the door twice.

Knock knock―

“Come in, Bia.”

After a brief bow, she concisely explained the results of her work at the Cheilo Trading Company over the past week.

In the Ruschef Duchy, which valued only profits, results were more important than process.

“Regarding the oil drilling rights we secured last time, I’ve arranged to visit Gaizen and the western sea area.”

“I see, it seems things are progressing properly now.”

Biare had only received a reply from the western merchant late yesterday evening.

She nodded slightly and carefully spoke about the negotiation rights her father had been interested in recently.

“By the way, I heard there are plans to promote a railway project in the east. Did you know about this, Father?”

At this, the Duke’s thick eyebrows rose, and he seemed to be wondering where his daughter had heard this news.

“Bia, how did you know about that?”

As it was a matter not yet disclosed to the press, he looked quite puzzled about how that information had leaked.

Biare put on a deliberately innocent expression while answering nonchalantly.

“A young lady I’ve recently befriended at social gatherings tipped me off.”

While the western part of the Marta Empire was renowned for its shipbuilding industry, the east was famous for its railway industry.

Thus, the Duke seemed to immediately realize which young lady his daughter was referring to.

It must be the young lady from the family that would become the new source of funding for the Cheilo Trading Company, which had acquired oil drilling rights.

Since everyone knew that the family controlling the railway business in the east was the Alhenbar Count’s family, the Duke smiled with satisfaction.

“My daughter, you’ve done very well.”

This was tantamount to Biare establishing a new connection for the Ruschef family through her social activities.

The Duke, true to his merchant nature, seemed to have already finished calculating in his head.

‘This should be enough.’

Now that she had dropped the hint, her father would eagerly use it, and once all preparations were complete, he would visit the east when conditions allowed.

‘But I need to find the key before that.’

Biare, wearing a faint smile in front of him, gave a light bow and left the study.

Arriving at Lanvin Art Street around noon, Biare greeted the cultural foundation staff who were in charge of exhibition preparations.

As the Ruschef family’s cultural foundation had agreed to collaborate on the festival being held here today, they had been busy with preparations.

The Lanvin Art Street Festival was the biggest event for artists, providing an opportunity for them to make their names widely known and gain sponsorship.

Thus, the cultural foundation had been cooperating to help as many people as possible.

After a short while, the sound of trumpets announcing the grand opening of the festival rang out, and people began to gather one by one at the cultural foundation’s gallery.

Seeing some familiar faces among them, Biare approached the group with a bright smile.

“Thank you for visiting us here.”

Among the noblewomen who valued etiquette, she greeted them as politely as possible, showing the utmost respect.

“The artworks are beautiful, befitting a place sponsored by the Ruschef family.”

“You flatter us, my lady. However…”

Smiling shyly, Biare decided to make a slight correction to the noblewoman’s words.

After all, this was an achievement brought about by the cultural foundation’s efforts, not the Ruschef family’s.

“It’s thanks to the hard work of the cultural foundation staff and the artists.”

Raising their eyebrows at these words, the noblewomen gently curved their lips and replied.

“The young lady is right. As we age, we sometimes make such mistakes.”

“Not at all, my lady. We’re grateful just for your interest in the cultural foundation.”

The ladies smiled kindly, seeming to find it admirable that such a young lady was managing the cultural foundation well.

In any case, the fact that they had visited this place would serve as a foundation for sponsoring the artists.

Time flew by quickly as she welcomed visitors to the gallery, and before she knew it, the sun was setting.

Wanting to give the foundation staff, exhausted from the long day, a break, Biare sent them out for dinner time.

As the gallery became quiet, she finally felt some relief and closed her eyes for a moment, basking in the twilight filtering through the windows.

‘Did I fall asleep for a moment?’

Biare barely managed to lift her heavy eyelids at the sound of approaching footsteps.

“…Sion?”

Seeing the figure she had always longed for standing before her eyes, Biare thought this might be a dream.

It didn’t make sense for him, who had no connection to her now, to visit this gallery, unlike the Dension of the past.

‘How I’ve missed you…’

“Why did you come only now?”

“…”

Thinking of the past nights filled with longing, Biare felt like she might burst into tears at any moment.

Her heart crumbled as she faced Dension, who still said nothing and gazed at her indifferently.

Cruelly, he hadn’t appeared even in her dreams for the past few years, so she didn’t know what to say first to him who had suddenly entered her dream.

“I’ve missed you so much…”

She wanted to ask him why he appeared only now, but she could only sob and trail off at the end of her words.

As Biare gradually regained her composure, a low and calm voice resonated throughout the gallery.

“Have you finished crying now?”

‘…Sion?’

Biare slowly raised her stiff neck, and her blue-green eyes trembled with emotion as she confirmed who was in front of her.

The man standing before her was not the Dension of the past, but the current Marquis Verdeum.

Startled by this realization, Biare’s hands shook slightly, unable to calm her tumultuous heart.

‘Was it not a dream after all?’

Facing him with tear stains not yet dry, Biare hastily wiped her eyes as she finally remembered her appearance.

Not wanting to explain the current situation, she spoke as if nothing had happened.

“I didn’t expect you to come to the gallery, Marquis.”

In the past, he had visited the gallery to see Biare, but he had never been interested in artworks.

So why had the man standing in front of her now come here?

Biare looked at him questioningly, but she couldn’t fathom his intentions.

“…I just stopped by briefly as I had business nearby.”

She wished she could get used to his indifferent voice, but Biare still couldn’t completely break free from the Dension of the past.

Sighing deeply due to her complicated feelings, Biare looked around as if suddenly remembering something.

Fortunately, perhaps because it was dinner time, Dension was the only visitor in this vast space.

‘I suppose that’s somewhat fortunate…’

Standing opposite her, he tilted his head, looked around, and said.

“Are you going to guide me personally, Young Lady?”

“Pardon?”

At this, he whispered quietly, just loud enough for her to hear, as if embarrassed.

“I don’t know much about art. Would you help me, Young Lady?”

“Ah…”

Not expecting such a request from him, Biare showed a surprised expression, to which he asked with a troubled look.

“Have I made a difficult request?”

Shaking her head at his words, she looked at Dension, pretending to be calm, and answered.

“Not at all. Please follow me this way.”

After that, Biare carefully explained the artworks in front of her with a somewhat tense voice.

“This is ‘Joyful Scream’ by Artist Marcus. He used contrasting colors to effectively portray joy and sorrow.”

As she explained, she glanced at Dension, who seemed to be concentrating intently on the artwork.

‘I used to introduce artworks to you here before too…’

Now that she was explaining to the current Dension, she felt a new sense of tension washing over her.

As she explained, he asked questions, and she answered sincerely, and time passed quickly in this manner.

Before they knew it, the staff who had finished their dinner entered the gallery, and Dension put on the jacket he had been carrying on his arm and glanced at her.

“I’m glad you seem to have cheered up.”

“Pardon?”

Looking at her with a slight smile, Dension shook his head and said.

“It’s nothing. I should be going now.”

‘Did he deliberately strike up a conversation?’

When he nonchalantly asked for an introduction to the artworks, Biare had explained to him calmly despite her surprise.

She had thought he was genuinely curious when he asked questions intermittently, but now it seemed he had been considerate of her feelings and purposely engaged in conversation.

‘This shouldn’t be happening…’

Watching his figure suddenly disappear, Biare stood there for a long time, not knowing what to do with the loud beating of her heart.