The downtown area I visited after a long time seemed unchanged from before. The lively merchant street and the carefully maintained boutique street were divided by a fork in the road, and the people, having lived in the same neighborhood for a long time, appeared at ease.

As a result, the appearance of strangers inevitably captured people’s attention at once. Particularly, the glances directed at Enrico and herself were quite bothersome.

She thought that no one would recognize Duke Enrico Michele in this distant region, but if there was a problem, it was that his appearance was excessively eye-catching.

His beautiful appearance, as if illuminated by a halo, made people not just glance but stare intently, to the point where she worried Enrico might say to clear everyone out because it was annoying.

‘It’s fortunate that he hired a chef…’

It would have been best if he hadn’t come, but since he came and prepared everything himself, it was a relief. Emilia guided Enrico to the most highly-rated restaurant, where they had a simple dinner before heading to a nearby walking trail.

Originally, she wanted to go straight to the mansion, but since Fabio had found a path less traveled by people, they ended up walking.

“Tomorrow we’ll be busy searching the mansion, and the day after we’ll go to the beach.”

Enrico, wearing a light gray coat following the change of seasons, walked leisurely along the trail.

“The beach? Just the two of us?”

“Yes, just us two. Stop repeating such lacking questions.”

“No, it’s just sudden.”

Emilia shrugged off the familiar sarcasm, letting it go in one ear and out the other.

She had completely taken off her coat, wearing a purple jupe jacket and skirt, but with the falling temperature as darkness set in, the outfit that had been perfect for the weather was starting to feel chilly.

It seemed the proximity to the sea made it a bit cooler.

“What’s sudden about it? Did you plan to stay cooped up in the mansion all day?”

“Well, since we don’t know what my parents might have left behind, we need to search thoroughly. Though they might not have left anything…”

“Move around moderately even on vacation. Be grateful I’m not making you prepare for a performance here.”

Come to think of it, I realized I hadn’t mentioned taking time off before bringing up the vacation. Emilia blinked twice. With performance schedules overlapping and personal circumstances complicating things a few times, it felt like they were naturally meeting beyond just contract issues.

The sparsely placed streetlights illuminated the path. The sound of foliage rustling in the wind was gentle.

Though it might now seem like a quiet town with nothing to do, when she was young, it felt so vast, as if it were the entire world. Breathing in the cool air mixed with saltiness, playing hand games with her mother on the vast sandy beach, her father would come to pick them up after work before she knew it.

Holding hands together as they returned home, or occasionally strolling along this very path on nights out for dinner – these memories were so vividly etched in her mind, as if imprinted on her retina.

Her younger self would stealthily approach a cat sprawled on the grass, petting and playing with it until her parents’ approaching presence would cause the cat to scamper away.

Then she would pout her lips for no reason, turn around, and immediately smile brightly, reaching out her tiny hand to grasp her parents’ affectionately extended hands.

“Ah…”

As if to remind her of reality, a cool breeze brushed against the back of her hand, and just like in her childhood days, a cat lying on the grass caught her eye. Somehow feeling as if the remnants of her younger days were overlapping, she stared blankly at the cat when suddenly something warm was felt on her shoulders. Startled, she looked down to find the gray coat draped over her shoulders.

“Let’s head back. The wind is chilly.”

The coat was too long and big. It was fortunate that it didn’t drag on the ground, barely hovering above her ankles, with the shoulders drooping on both sides, making her look like a little girl wearing her father’s clothes.

Emilia’s gaze lifted. An indifferent yet elegant profile entered her view. The clear moonlight left an afterimage on his sharply protruding nose bridge.

‘…Because the item shouldn’t be damaged.’

Emilia turned her head back to look straight ahead. The spot where the cat had been earlier was now empty.

She slightly crossed the front of the coat, holding it closed. The sound of insects chirping, distant voices, and the gentle wind. It was a night so peaceful it gave her goosebumps.

“I’m sure there was a basement… How did we get there again?”

Having played hide-and-seek all over the mansion as a child, she remembered that there weren’t really any good hiding places on the ground floor. Rather than pointlessly searching other areas, Emilia recalled the basement that had seemed like a secret place. Just once, her parents had taken her down there.

It seemed to be the last night at the mansion before they passed away in the carriage accident. She remembered crying and throwing a tantrum, refusing to eat dinner because her parents were leaving her behind.

Emilia paced back and forth, chewing on her lower lip. Perhaps because her parents’ passing was such a shock, she couldn’t remember the details of that time clearly.

Was it near the study? Or the office? She stopped in her tracks and tilted her head back in frustration.

It was quite daunting to find the passage to the basement when she couldn’t even remember the location. For all her bold intentions in coming here, she felt utterly helpless. Emilia sighed deeply and headed towards the office.

‘For now, since Father mainly used this room, it has the highest possibility.’

As she opened the office door, the first thing she saw was the bare wall. It seemed they had thoroughly stripped the mansion of all artwork, as not a single decorative item remained on the bookshelves.

Emilia mentally cursed Giorgio as she moved busily. She approached the desk, opened all the drawers, and pressed her hands against the insides, observing for any reaction.

‘Ah, I can’t remember if we entered through the floor or if there was a passage through the wall.’

Since her father had carried her while she was sniffling, her face buried in his chest, it was now becoming a problem.

She had been searching the office for quite some time when suddenly there was a knock.

“Have you found anything?”

As she turned her head, she saw Enrico leaning against the open door, his hand still poised from knocking. She had closed the door, but must have missed the sound of it opening while moving about distractedly.

Emilia’s lips parted slightly before she spoke carefully.

“Ah… I’m not sure.”

For a moment, she wondered if she should share everything purely with him, but then realized that inviting him to this mansion in the first place had already made that concern moot.

“I remember going to the basement when I was young. I’m trying to find the passage.”

Emilia muttered, unnecessarily wiping the back of her hand across her chin. The dry skin felt smooth against her hand, as not a single drop of sweat had formed.

Enrico entered leisurely, his hands behind his back. Tilting his head slightly, he stopped abruptly and tapped the floor.

“Is this the right room?”

“I can’t remember clearly.”

“Which rooms do you suspect?”

“For now, the office and the study.”

Enrico’s deep purple eyes gazed quietly at Emilia.

“Do you want to search alone?”

“…If possible, yes.”

It was our family’s secret after all. Although she knew everything would be revealed once opened, she just wanted to be the one to open it herself, at least for that moment.

Her hand, which had been lightly holding her skirt, tensed slightly. From his perspective of disliking unnecessary waste, she thought he would first ask if she was really going to do such a nonsensical thing.

However, surprisingly, what came back was a clean affirmation.

“Do that then. If you can’t find it by the last day, we’ll search together.”

Emilia blinked twice. Enrico turned around leisurely and headed towards the door. Before leaving the room, he slightly twisted his body to look back. His eyes, inscrutable, scanned her up and down once.

“Try not to get scratched.”

The door closed again. Ha, a incredulous laugh filled the office.

Despite searching the office all day, nothing turned up. Emilia exhaled deeply as she soaked her tired body in the bathtub.

‘I’ll search alone until tomorrow, and the day after we’ll just search all together.’

Somehow her memory was pointing either to the office or the study, so she felt she might find the basement passage tomorrow. The faint floral scent of the bath oil left a lingering fragrance on her skin, and the hot water gently soothed her weary body.

It was soon time for dinner, so Emilia reluctantly rose from the bathtub with a regretful expression.

“Should I suggest we go for the beach walk today?”

If she found the basement tomorrow, she absolutely wouldn’t have time to go out as she’d be busy searching inside, and if she didn’t find it, that would be a problem in itself and she wouldn’t feel like going anywhere.

Emilia put on a simple yellow dress and went downstairs. It seemed Enrico had just come down as well, as she saw him sitting down at the dining table first.

The chef, who had been urgently summoned to Barcorta, was the main chef of the Michele ducal residence. Despite being sent on an unexpected business trip, not a trace of discontent showed on his face.

Rather, as soon as Emilia sat down, he began setting out the prepared dishes with a proud air.

“Looks like you didn’t find it. It’s quiet.”

“Yes, I’m planning to search the study tomorrow.”

Emilia was about to pick up her spoon to eat the soup placed in front of her when she hesitated and looked up.

“Ah, about that. How about we go for the beach walk today?”