Although Leonard had been very busy and hadn’t discussed that matter…

No, to be honest, Cordelia deliberately tried to avoid the subject. Whether he noticed her clumsy effort or was being considerate, Leonard acted as if nothing had happened.

Various emotions conflicted within Cordelia. At times, it was difficult even to look Leonard straight in the face. There were nights when she lay awake, unable to pinpoint the source of this uncomfortable feeling.

“No. It’s nothing.”

“What? Why did you stop talking? You’re making me curious.”

Although Cordelia clammed up like a shellfish, Ilias persisted in pestering her. But she couldn’t possibly tell someone she’d only met a few times, “I think my master sees me as special.”

“I’m just wondering what love is, that’s all.”

“Come on. You’re not a twelve-year-old girl. Surely you’ve had a first love?”

“I haven’t.”

“You haven’t? Weren’t there any decent men around you?”

Ilias looked at Cordelia with a strange expression. Cordelia found his gaze absurd.

“I hadn’t even had a one-on-one conversation with a man until my coming-of-age ceremony. That was normal where I grew up.”

“What? Where on earth did you live… Oh right, you’re a Vasquez. I’ve heard the north is conservative, but this is extreme.”

“I think you’re the extreme one. Proposing a good relationship to someone you’ve just met.”

When Cordelia rebutted with an expressionless face, Ilias laughed awkwardly.

“Well, I’m sorry about that. I tend to be forward when I meet someone I like.”

“Yes. It seems so.”

After exchanging a few meaningless words, Cordelia stood up. Ilias, resting his chin on one hand, spoke to her retreating back.

“Love, you know. To me, it was like that person was the only one colored in the world.”

“Colored? What do you mean?”

“In a world of black and white, that person alone was shining brilliantly.”

“Are you sure you didn’t have vision problems?”

When she asked suspiciously, Ilias burst out laughing.

“You’re such a greenhorn who doesn’t know what love is.”

“Greenhorn? I’m an adult. I’ve even been married and widowed.”

Cordelia retorted, bristling at his words. Ilias tilted his chin up and wagged his index finger, speaking in an annoying tone.

“Getting older doesn’t necessarily make you an adult, you know? It’s the same. You don’t have to get married to know love.”

“Is that so?”

“You’re living proof of that.”

Cordelia returned to the laboratory, mulling over Ilias’s words. Her complicated feelings were still ongoing.

Love. What on earth is love?

It was too difficult a question for her. She had thought love was just a special experience for some people. She had believed it was something that would never happen in her life, existing only in fantasy.

“Cordelia!”

“Yes?”

She looked up at the call. Unlike usual, Kandias was peering out with his eyeballs, waiting for Cordelia at the door.

“What is it? Did something happen?”

“You’ve got a letter. They said it’s urgent and to deliver it to you quickly.”

“For me?”

He urged her to come quickly. Cordelia entered the laboratory, bewildered. Just like before, Kandias’s eyeball split in half, and a letter envelope dropped onto her hand with a thud.

The seal on the letter was familiar. Cordelia sighed as soon as she saw it.

“What? Who’s it from?”

“My father.”

He’s really persistent. It was frustrating how he kept sending letters steadily no matter how much she ignored them. For Cordelia, who clearly remembered how her father had sold her, this letter felt like a shameless and disgusting thing that knew no shame.

As Cordelia headed straight for the fireplace with it, Kandias immediately followed.

“You’re not going to burn it, are you?”

“Yes. It’s obvious he’s just written useless demands for money again.”

She tried not to sneer but failed. Before the embers could devour the letter, Kandias snatched it away.

“Read it before you burn it. You never know. They told me it was urgent and had to be delivered to you.”

He urged her to read it. Reluctantly, Cordelia broke the seal and scanned the contents. But the handwriting was different from usual. The content wasn’t long, so she could read it all at once. Kandias peered over.

“What does it say?”

“My father.”

“Yes?”

“He’s on his deathbed.”

“What? That’s serious. It would have been terrible if you’d burned it!”

However, there was no change in Cordelia’s expressionless face. The only expression she managed was a forced grimace in response to Kandias’s fuss.

Her father had been ill for several days. Well, it would be strange if he didn’t get sick, smoking and drinking heavily every day.

Even when he sold Cordelia to the Abrams, he used the pretext of needing money for medicine to treat his illness.

The letter was sent not by her father but by his personal physician. It stated that Pablo Vasquez’s condition had worsened and he didn’t have much time left, so if she wanted to be by his side in his final moments, she should hurry to Yebo Delim.

She crumpled up the letter, put it in her pocket, and sat at her desk. Then she did her homework as usual. If anything, it was Kandias who was restless, hovering around Cordelia.

“Hey, are you alright? Shouldn’t you be preparing to leave right away?”

“When the master comes. I need to talk to him first.”

“That’s true, but… Oh, what to do. Your father must have been very ill.”

If it had been a letter of obituary, she might have shed at least a tear. Cordelia was surprised at herself for not feeling any change in emotion. She was just calm, as if she had known this would happen.

Perhaps it was largely due to the fact that she had no expectations or affection left for her father.

Leonard came to the laboratory late at night. Before Cordelia could explain the situation, Kandias quickly flew over and whispered to him. Leonard, who was taking off his coat with a tired face, came close to Cordelia after hearing the doorkeeper’s words.

“The Viscount Vasquez is critically ill?”

“Yes. I received a letter from his personal physician.”

“What do you want to do?”

Cordelia looked up into Leonard’s eyes.

It was unexpected. Even knowing their terrible father-daughter relationship, she thought he would say she should go to her father, like Kandias did. Cordelia mumbled, her lips trembling.

“…I should go. If he passes away, I’ll have to arrange the funeral too.”

“Shall I go with you?”

Even Cordelia, as insensitive as she was, knew how busy he was. Even if he was saying it out of courtesy, she was truly grateful.

“It’s alright. I’ve done a funeral once, so the second time should be easier.”

She said with a slight smile. Leonard raised his hand to touch her cheek out of habit but stopped. He lowered his hand casually and said,

“You go ahead first. I’ll follow as soon as I wrap up things here.”

“No, really, I’m fine. You’re very busy, aren’t you?”

“I have enough time to take care of you.”

Leaving just those words, Leonard went to his desk, rummaged through something, and then returned to her. He opened his palm to show what he had brought. At least five or six rings were sparkling and shining on Leonard’s palm.

“What are all these?”

“Remember when I gave you a ring just before you went to the Magic Association?”

“Ah. You mean the one you gave me because of Maximilian?”

She recalled her first visit to the Magic Association. She also remembered that it had saved her life once.

“These rings have similar magic on them. Hold out your hand.”

Cordelia held out her hand uncertainly. Leonard took her hand very gently. It was as delicate and faint as if he were touching a fragile glass artwork. The actual area of skin contact was small, but that part felt as if it was burning.

As he slipped the ring onto her finger, he said,

“Next time, I’ll give you a better ring.”

“…This is enough.”

“I’m not good enough.”

Leonard said. Cordelia tried to avoid his gaze but suddenly caught sight of herself in the mirror on the wall. Her face was flushed red as if it might burst.

Cordelia tried to pull her hand away from his grasp. Instead, Leonard tightened his grip on her hand and said,

“I like you, Cordelia.”

Cordelia inhaled sharply. She held it in, afraid that even exhaling might make a sound.

“To the point where I wonder if it’s okay to like someone this much. To the point where my head is filled with thoughts of you from the moment I wake up until I fall asleep. To the point where I want to gouge out and crush the eyeballs of all the men hovering around you.”

“…”

She had many questions she wanted to ask. From doubts like “Are you serious?” to curiosities like “Since when?”

However, not a single sentence passed beyond Cordelia’s lips. All she could do was exhale the breath she had been holding, very slowly. Leonard let out a hollow laugh between his lips.

“I practiced against the wall like a madman so many times. And this is all I can say.”

“Practice?”

“Yes. I can’t propose like this.”

The word ‘proposal’ pulled her back to reality from the clouds she had been floating in.

Proposal, the beginning of that terrible and painful marriage.

Of course, she knew that Craig and Leonard were completely different people, but unconsciously, Cordelia’s expression darkened. Noticing this keenly, Leonard said,

“Give me your answer when we meet next time.”

“Master.”

“You must be very confused right now too.”

He stepped back a few paces from her, as if escaping. Then he said with a smile,

“Don’t be too scared. Even if you reject me, nothing will change between us.”

“Master, I…”

Cordelia stared at him blankly and tried to hold him back. However, a somewhat hasty answer stopped her words.

“Next time, I said tell me next time.”

He looked as if he knew what answer she would give.