‘Why does it sound so loud?’

Enrico’s gaze lowered to his wrist. His right hand, which had been still for a moment as if hesitating, slowly moved and began to remove the watch strap.

The impulsive choice to want to hear Emilia’s breathing led to another uncharacteristic act. The wristwatch was quickly stuffed between the sofa cushions. The sound of the second hand moving at regular intervals disappeared from the world.

Contrary to his hesitation about feeling an uncomfortable silence, immediately a tickling breath filled the space.

‘… It’s fine.’

Soon his face turned awkward. It seemed as if the action he had just tried gave him an unwanted certainty. Emilia’s presence, which he had been deliberately ignoring, began to grow to an unbearable size.

Slowly rubbing his chin and mouth with his right hand, he soon lowered his head, covering his eyes. In fact, even at the last meal, why did her concern that hit him so suddenly touch his heart like that? Before, he had thought he wanted to receive that straightforward affection, but now he kept having thoughts of wanting to keep her by his side.

If you want something, just take it.

He wanted to think simply, but he wanted to be wary of her who evoked these unfamiliar emotions, but the moment she broke the silence, his worries became futile.

‘… The only way I can have her is to bind her with a contract.’

What could he do with someone who used her parents to force a contract in the first place? She was no different from a bystander who remained silent despite knowing the questions about her parents’ deaths, it was wrong from the beginning.

‘What should I do?’

His purple eyes, similar to a starry night sky, sank deeply. His eyes, full of melancholy, lingered on her for a long time.

“Mmm…”

At that moment, Emilia’s fingertips moved. He rose from his seat as she tilted her head to the side, making a small groan.

His hand quickly and gently cupped her cheek before it could touch the floor as her body tilted to the side following her head. He felt her soft cheek and hair on his palm.

“Ha…”

A somewhat hollow laugh escaped him at the belated realization that it was a sofa anyway, so it wouldn’t have hurt even if she fell. One of her eyes twitched and slowly lifted its lid. A strange silence flowed as their gazes met.

“… Duke?”

She blinked her eyes blankly and then sat up almost as if bouncing. He slowly raised his body, curling his palm where warmth had just touched.

“Duke, why are you here…”

With a flustered face, she covered her cheek where his hand had just touched with her own hand and blinked her eyes rapidly.

“I thought we might have a meal.”

“Ah… Then you should have woken me up.”

“You were sleeping so soundly, I didn’t dare wake you.”

Emilia sighed softly and lightly brushed her disheveled hair.

“If you let me know in advance, this kind of thing wouldn’t happen.”

“I just dropped by while passing.”

Whether he meant he wouldn’t notify her in the future or not, at his ambiguous answer, she rubbed both her cheeks once with a half-resigned face.

“Are you going out to eat now? Then I should prepare…”

“Hmm… No. Let’s do it next time.”

Really? Her gaze looking at him seemed to say that. He smiled briefly and headed towards the entrance.

Following him hesitantly, she blankly watched as he picked up the bouquet placed on top of the entrance cabinet. He handed the large bouquet to her and said in a low voice.

“You look tired, rest more.”

“… Thank you. But why are you giving me flowers?”

At her puzzled voice, he turned around slightly as he grabbed the doorknob.

“I heard you got the lead role.”

“Ah…”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

“… Yes.”

Emilia barely managed a short answer with an awkward face, unsure of what to say. He looked at her like that for a moment, then turned around again and went out the front door, and as the door slowly closed, he could be seen getting farther away through the gap, then disappeared with the door closing shut.

‘It’s a congratulatory bouquet, but it feels a bit awkward.’

He had been telling her to take the lead role for a while now. He must be quite satisfied. But even so, to come all the way to her home and give her a bouquet.

Did he like her ballet that much? Then was the original her nothing without ballet?

Somehow, her chest felt tight in a way different from feeling her existence denied. Rather than wanting to be treated as a person, it felt like wanting something more intimate, but she couldn’t clearly understand it herself.

Emilia looked down intently at the bouquet filling her arms. His voice congratulating her just before echoed in her ears. She closed her eyes and buried her face in the bouquet. It was a dizzying flower scent.

The separation inside the box could be seen a few days later. There were various items, receipts, contract documents, etc., perhaps received from investments.

Most of the contract documents were not very important, so I put them aside and searched through something that looked like letters among them.

“Hmm, based on the content, it seems like I should consult with these three people…”

Emilia put down the three letters and crossed her arms in front of her chest. All three contents had common words saying they heard rumors that her father was looking for a lawyer, and that they were very interested in what he was currently doing and wanted to join that wonderful path together.

‘What he’s currently doing? What else was there besides investment rights?’

Is it talking about the patent rights mentioned before? Since it was a situation where she could only guess, it seemed she had no choice but to ask Enrico to investigate these three people for now.

‘But is this all there is?’

I don’t know why all the contract documents have such simple content. Her parents invested a lot in various fields, but the amounts were too small and the contract periods were short.

Emilia, who was unnecessarily rummaging through the receipts, found a small note in between.

−Why aren’t you coming to the palace? If you want to get what you want, you need to catch my eye. Or give up your jewel.

Emilia’s forehead furrowed.

“What does this mean? Palace?”

“Why the palace?”

Startled by the sudden voice from behind, she quickly turned around. Enrico, who said he wouldn’t be at the mansion today, was standing at the doorway.

“I thought you weren’t coming today…”

“The work finished early.”

Enrico was wearing an ivory vest and pants with his hair neatly swept back. Seeing that the usual loosely unbuttoned top buttons and disheveled bangs were not there, it seems there was indeed some important business.

“But what’s this about the palace?”

“Ah. There was a note mixed in here that said this.”

“Hmm…”

An unimpressed laugh escaped Enrico’s mouth. Seeing that he seemed to know something, Emilia pointed to the note and asked.

“Do you know who it’s from?”

His eyes, which had been languidly lowered, raised to look directly at her.

“You know too.”

“Me too? Who could it be. The only people I know from the palace are you, Duke, and His Highness the Crown Prince.”

“It’s in there.”

“… Surely not His Highness the Crown Prince?”

“Yes.”

“Are you saying His Highness the Crown Prince wrote this?”

Emilia snatched the note and brought it up to her eyes. The tone was so arrogant and overbearing that she was actually going to ask if it was Enrico at first, but she was too surprised when she asked if it was the Crown Prince.

“Why. Don’t believe it?”

“It’s a bit… He’s such a polite person after all.”

“You really have no eye for people.”

“Pardon?”

“Did you forget what I told you to be careful about last time?”

“I didn’t forget, but you didn’t tell me why I should be careful.”

Enrico glanced over the scattered papers and looked at her.

“Because he’s gloomy enough to send such a note at a young age.”

“Ah…”

“He was born a violent bastard. When he was young, there were many subordinates who bullied him, but as he got older, he seemed to gain some tact and stopped openly misbehaving.”

“Misbehaving… To that extent?”

“Yeah. He’s the kind of guy who makes you more uneasy when he’s quiet, to the point where it would be more comfortable if he openly caused trouble.”

It was unbelievable. He didn’t seem like that at all, but it was hard to gauge how much trouble he must have caused for such words to come from the indifferent Enrico.

“So the Second Prince will be coming soon.”

“What? I heard the Second Prince went abroad to study.”

“A prince’s fate is to return when needed.”

Even a prince doesn’t seem so great before him. Emilia felt like the lofty image of royalty was fading a bit.

Well, I guess there’s not much to think about in terms of the image of royalty in the first place. Even with Enrico, as we go back and forth between each other’s mansions and gradually exchange all sorts of stories…

“Oh, Duke. Come to think of it, Zabeta said she found the watch.”

“Watch?”

His smooth brow furrowed slightly, not unpleasantly.

“Yes. I received it the day before yesterday but couldn’t give it to you. If I knew you’d be here today, I would have brought it. I’ll make sure to bring it next time.”

“… I didn’t know.”

“Pardon?”

“I didn’t know I left empty-handed when I left.”

Is that such a surprising thing? Emilia tilted her head slightly with a puzzled expression.

His gaze, which had been staring intently into space for a moment, slowly swept over her face. The purple-blue eyes looking down narrowed sideways, then soon frowned slightly and revealed a faint smile.

“That watch, keep it.”