From a young age, Biare had learned about her family’s history and understood how much effort it took for the Ruschef family to reach their current position.

Her father, who inherited the title of Duke from the previous generation, was also elevating the family’s status in their own way.

Maintaining appropriate authority while secretly bribing nobles they needed to be close to in order to build relationships and establish their position – that was the Ruschef way.

Since her debut as a debutante and formal entry into high society, Biare had also been maintaining appropriate relationships with families she needed connections with.

Of course, there were families who found her distasteful and spoke rudely to her face, but she chose not to pay attention to such insignificant people.

Pursuing their goals through any means necessary and securing practical benefits was the ironclad rule of the Ruschefs.

Since the grand banquet began, there had been quite a number of nobles trying to catch Biare’s eye and strike up a conversation somehow.

At the same time, there was another group of nobles who disapproved of her and whispered amongst themselves, but Biare paid them no mind.

Except for one person.

She called over a young lady nearby, intending to find out who had been irritating her all afternoon.

“Lady Asitera. Who is that person over there?”

“Which person are you referring to…?”

“The silver-haired young lord leaning against the wall over there.”

The daughter of the Asitera family looked around, spotted him, and replied with a short exclamation.

“That’s Marquis Verdeum.”

‘Ah – the one who became a marquis at seventeen.’

Though the details of what truly happened with the previous marquis and his wife were unknown, he was currently the most talked about man in high society.

The fact that he, who hadn’t shown his face until last year’s debutante ball, attended this banquet would likely have a good influence on Biare.

However, the man leaning against the wall had a face that clearly said “I want to go home soon” for anyone to see.

‘Even if he’s a marquis, is it alright to behave so rudely?’

While the young ladies around were blushing as they looked at him, he didn’t spare them a single glance.

It was at that moment that her eyes met his cold blue gaze framed by frosty silver hair.

Ah- She hadn’t meant to avoid his gaze, but Biare felt quite affronted when she unconsciously looked away first.

Biare assumed that since the Verdeum family was a distinguished noble house, they would naturally have a negative perception of the Ruschef ducal family.

Of course, if she could gain his friendship it would be the biggest achievement of this banquet, but she had no interest in a marquis who was so blatantly refusing social interaction.

As she listened to the young lady excitedly praising the marquis’s appearance, unaware of what Biare was thinking, she suddenly felt overcome with fatigue.

“Lady Asitera, I’m going to step out for some fresh air.”

As Biare exited the banquet hall, she finally felt like she could breathe.

It was a quiet autumn evening with cloudy, hazy skies.

The chill of the autumn wind brushed against her arms, and Biare hesitated, shivering slightly.

She could go back inside to get her shawl, but if she went out again she would have to be accompanied by a guard knight.

Since she had already snuck out of the banquet hall without their notice, Biare decided against returning.

Darkness had long since covered the sky outside the banquet hall, with only a faint scattering of starlight illuminating the ground.

Biare walked towards a place within the ducal estate that now only she knew about, lost in thought.

This banquet could be considered somewhat successful so far, but it wasn’t over yet so she couldn’t let her guard down.

With help from the head maid and Manolin, Biare had been planning this banquet to ensure the Duchess’s absence wouldn’t be felt.

In just a year, Gaizen would also be making his social debut, so she needed to firmly establish their position in high society to prevent him from getting hurt.

Lost in thought with her brow furrowed, she walked for quite some time before reaching an area overgrown with vines.

The ivy that had been lush and green all summer was now turning red, hastening the arrival of autumn.

Past the wall covered in twisting, climbing vines, there was a small passage hidden in the deepest part.

Entering through it revealed her own private space, one that no one would think existed here.

This was where the Duchess would bring Biare as a child when she was scolded by the Duke, offering gentle comfort.

It was also the only place within the ducal estate where mother and daughter could freely share their secrets.

After the Duchess passed away, Biare would come spend time here alone whenever she missed her mother.

Being such a secluded spot, it remained untouched by human hands, which is why she felt more at ease here.

Biare bent down to enter the small passage, and just as she was straightening up on the other side.

She couldn’t help but startle at the sight of an unwelcome intruder who had arrived before her.

‘How did he find this place?’

The man who had been irritating her throughout the banquet – the marquis – was standing right in front of her eyes.

Even the ducal household staff didn’t know about this space, so it should have been even more difficult for an outsider to find.

Though she couldn’t fathom how he had managed to discover and enter this space, Biare decided not to show her surprise.

‘Well, he must have gotten lost and wandered in by mistake.’

In any case, the man standing before her was a guest of the ducal family, and as the banquet host, she needed to show at least basic courtesy.

Intending to give a light bow and then vacate the area, Biare accidentally bit her tongue when their eyes met once again.

Though her eyes watered slightly from the sharp pain, it was Biare who broke the quiet stillness first.

“It’s an honor to meet you, Marquis Verdeum.”

“Do you perhaps know who I am?”

Biare was taken aback by the expectant look in his eyes, but quickly decided to add a small lie.

“I merely knew the general appearance of the noble guests visiting here.”

The marquis seemed visibly disappointed at her words, and spoke in a slightly sulky voice.

“Is it alright for the hostess of the banquet to be out here?”

“The banquet will be remembered as brilliant even if I’m absent for a while.”

“For someone saying that, you look quite bored.”

Biare unconsciously bit her lip, caught off guard by his astute observation.

She had known he was rude since seeing him at the banquet, but hearing him speak so bluntly was quite shocking.

“You seem to be the same, Marquis.”

“Did I appear that way? I’m not one to enjoy attending banquets in general…”

As he said this while seemingly checking Biare’s reaction, she felt like laughing incredulously.

“Then what change of heart led you to attend this one?”

Her tone had sharpened unintentionally, as she had been quite on edge from preparing for the banquet.

As Biare was worrying over how to apologize for her unladylike behavior, mumbling incoherently, she heard the marquis say something.

“…alike.”

She thought she heard him say something, but a sudden gust of wind rustled the foliage, preventing her from catching his words clearly.

“Could you please repeat what you just said?”

“It wasn’t anything significant.”

With a slight chuckle and shake of his head, the marquis briefly pressed his lips to the back of her hand before adding a final remark as he departed for his own territory.

“Congratulations on turning seventeen, Bia.”

Biare stood there staring at her tingling hand, her face flushing as she experienced bewilderment for the first time in her life.

‘What was that? What is he trying to do?’

He had called her by a nickname without permission and even kissed her hand.

For Biare, it was something that should never have happened, so she couldn’t fall asleep easily that night, furious at his rude behavior.

* * *

‘Back then, I had no idea we would end up like this…’

Biare let out a small chuckle. For now, reminiscing about her memories with him was her only solace.

Her subconscious recalled Dension on happy days and sad days alike.

Was it a particular moment from the past that Biare longed for, or was it her own self from that time?

The setting sun filtered through the curtains by the window, and Biare gazed quietly at the colors tinged with the glow of sunset.

“Sion, are you looking at this sky too?”

Dension would sometimes stare blankly at the red-tinged sky, lost in memories.

When she quietly observed his blue eyes filled with deep sadness, unable to guess what he was thinking about, it was hard to look away.

Even now, she still didn’t know who exactly he was remembering, but she hadn’t wanted to pry into Dension’s memories.

Just because they were lovers didn’t mean they had to know or reveal everything about each other.

She thought that was a form of consideration and respect for the other person.

Although the misunderstandings that built up because of that ended up driving them apart.

Looking back now, Biare realized she didn’t know much about Dension during the two years they were together.

Though she was the closest person in his world, that didn’t mean she could enter every part of it.

When she discovered new sides of him that even Dension himself didn’t know about, Biare would feel overwhelmingly happy.

Like how the corners of his mouth would twitch when eating pudding made with orange marmalade, or how he would furrow his brow and make a sullen expression when faced with a situation he didn’t like.

She thought that if she ever opened up completely to him, he would also fully open his heart to her in return.

They still had plenty of time, and she believed without a doubt that she would spend the rest of her life with him.

But in the end, all that returned to her was Dension’s cold corpse.