“The store is quite pretty.”

Francis said while looking around the store. Melly was reminded of the young boy who was recently disciplined by Edric when she saw his attitude of blinking with eyes full of interest and unable to pass by without touching each item.

Then she thought that it wasn’t something unforgivable that he had read her old diary without permission. Adults should be generous and forgiving of thoughtless children.

Melly stood in front of the table placed near the entrance with a tray of teacups and said,

“Have some tea.”

“I want to sit over there.”

Francis’s fingertips were pointing to another table. But she couldn’t give up that seat. It was Edric’s seat.

“Just sit here.”

“Well, if that’s what you want, I have no choice.”

Francis obediently complied without any further insistence.

Melly put the tea down in front of him. There was only one cup. There was no reason to have tea together.

“If you have something to say, say it quickly and leave.”

“There you go again.”

Francis said, rolling his eyes.

“You know you’re always eager to kick me out? What did I ever do to you.”

“I know, right. Why would I do that?”

Melly said, looking straight at him.

“I think you know the answer better than I do.”

“It’s the sin of buttoning the first button wrong.”

Francis giggled for a moment and continued.

“But isn’t it time to forget about that? The few encounters we had after that weren’t so bad.”

The encounters we had after that…

“That’s an inappropriate choice of words. You and I didn’t have encounters, we just happened to run into each other, I think.”

At Melly’s sharp words, Francis just shrugged and picked up the teacup.

‘He’s still provoking people.’

Melly patiently waited for the anger that was slowly rising inside her to subside. In the meantime, Francis put down the teacup and said,

“When are you going to return to the ducal residence? Everyone in the capital is waiting.”

At the sudden words, Melly asked with a puzzled face.

“…Does everyone in the capital know?”

“Did you think they wouldn’t know?”

Francis asked, looking even more puzzled than Melly. But he soon snorted and nodded as if he understood, saying,

“Well, I guess you wouldn’t know what’s going on in the world if you live in a place like this where most people are of different races.”

“…”

“Anyway, everyone is eagerly awaiting the return of the Duchess of Pelton.”

The return of the duchess. The duchess.

For a moment, Melly’s gaze fell.

That title still made her feel insecure.

“Is it because you’re burdened?”

Francis looked at her face and said,

“Then I want to tell you not to worry. Duke Pelton is preparing something quite grand for you.”

“Something grand, what is it?”

“Wait and see. Until he reveals it himself.”

In Melly’s mind, who was tilting her head with a doubtful face, Edric suddenly appeared, saying that he had to go to the imperial palace and leaving the store.

Suddenly, she had a feeling that this matter was not completely unrelated to that one.

Something he was preparing for her that required going through the imperial palace.

Melly felt somehow heavy-hearted.

“By the way.”

After taking another sip of tea, Francis asked in a subtle voice.

“When are you going to tell the duke? He doesn’t seem to know yet.”

“Tell him what?”

Distracted by what Edric was said to be preparing, Melly answered carelessly. Then Francis said,

“About the heir to the Pelton dukedom.”

“…”

“Your and Edric Pelton’s son.”

“Stop here.”

Edric had the carriage stop a little distance from the store.

He stepped out onto the ground and strode toward Melly’s store with a cold, hardened face.

It wasn’t that he had come back because he didn’t quite trust Melly.

He didn’t doubt her in the slightest. He didn’t think for a moment that someone like Francis could shake her. He was nothing to her.

But he was clearly different from ordinary people, daring to approach what was his even after being threatened just as much.

He was doing as he pleased without hesitation, like someone who lacked a learning effect. The memory of almost having a bullet go through his head left no trauma on him at all.

‘I should have shot him then.’

Edric regretted it.

Finally arriving in front of the store, he reached out his hand to the doorknob.

It was just as his long fingers gripped the doorknob that the conversation was clearly heard through the door.

“I’m not sure, but I’ll take your word for it this once.”

At Melly’s words, which he couldn’t understand the meaning of, Edric felt a strange feeling.

He pulled the doorknob without making a sound.

A smile appeared on her face that he could see through the open door.

She nodded again and spoke in a firm voice once more.

“And I’ll try to muster up some courage.”

Edric couldn’t stand by and watch any longer. He flung the door wide open.

“What courage are you mustering up?”

Despite his explosive feelings, his voice was calm.

Melly got up from her seat with a startled face.

“…Weren’t you going to the capital?”

‘Sorry I’m not.’

He changed his mind about sarcastically mocking her.

“I forgot something.”

“…”

But Melly’s expression gradually darkened as if she realized his words were a lie.

Francis remained hidden behind her.

If someone were to see this situation, it would seem as if Melly was trying to protect him from what Edric might do to him. The thought made Edric even more displeased.

But he smiled warmly, trying hard to hide his feelings.

“Now, won’t you answer my question, Melly?”

“…”

Melly didn’t answer for a long time. She only moved her eyes left and right as if searching for the right words in her head.

That’s when it happened.

“I’ll explain.”

Francis’s height rose from behind Melly.

The two were standing in a perfect position to compare faces.

Solid and stable eyes, an unyielding attitude.

He resembled Melly.

Seeing the opposite sex who suited his mate better than himself, Edric felt like his heart was on fire.

If Francis said one more word, he didn’t know what he himself would do.

“No. I’ll do it.”

Fortunately, Melly opened her mouth before that.

She spoke to Francis with her gaze fixed on Edric.

“Would you please leave now, Lord Adel?”

“I will.”

Francis meekly assented.

“I apologize for the intrusion, lady. And Your Grace, Duke Pelton.”

He bowed to the two in turn and left the store. Edric didn’t stop him. He couldn’t do it in front of Melly. Things like killing him or exiling him out of the empire.

“Please don’t misunderstand. Lord Francis Adel and I are nothing to each other.”

“I’m not misunderstanding. I never even thought that way.”

Edric said calmly.

His trust in Melly was unchanged.

‘I’ll take your word for it this once. And I’ll try to muster up some courage.’

Even after hearing the strangely familiar words.

He was simply displeased by the fact that there was something Francis knew and he himself didn’t know.

He couldn’t forget Melly’s face that he had seen through the crack of the door a little while ago.

Brightly and purely sparkling eyes. And… a smile as comfortable as the sunset.

The moment he saw that, Edric realized.

That the smiles he had seen on her until now were as if she was smiling with difficulty, carrying a heavy burden on her back.

And that Francis knew how to make her put down that burden and be at ease.

Only that fact alone bothered him.

“…”

The moment his eyes unknowingly hardened.

Melly, who had been moving her lips, wondering how to say it, suddenly headed to the counter.

Then she scribbled something on a memo pad, came back, and held it out to Edric.

“Please go here for a bit.”

Edric’s eyes went down. The question posed by the connection between the memo Melly held out and the current situation softened his gaze a little.

“What is this?”

“It’s the address. Where I lived for the past three years.”

“…”

Edric’s eyes gradually filled with interest.

The past three years. The long time she was away from the ducal residence. He was always curious about Melly’s life during that time.

He indirectly asked questions, afraid that she would hate it if he asked directly.

‘You seem to be doing a bit better. How did you manage your health during that time?’

‘The capital suffered severe flood damage last year and the year before, was the place you were at okay?’

But each time, Melly brushed it off with general answers.

‘There’s nothing better than exercise for health.’

‘Ah, there was a flood. So was everyone unharmed? Were you okay?’

She also seemed to not want to talk about it much. So Edric stopped asking further.

He thought it didn’t matter what happened in the past, as long as she was alive and not dead, no matter what life she lived. But.

“Thank you, Melly.”

Edric accepted the memo without refusing.

He now wanted to know. No, he thought he needed to know.

Melly’s past life that he had missed. And all the people who were with her in that life.

If there was anyone among them who hindered her from returning to him even a little, he would not let them be.

Just as much as he had suffered for the past three years, he would make that bastard suffer just as much.

There was no need to repay tenfold or twentyfold. It would already be hell for him as it is.

“Melly.”

He affectionately called out to Melly, who had already lowered her gaze long ago.

Then Melly’s transparent brown eyes turned to him. She was afraid. So Edric reassured her with a gentle gaze.

‘Nothing will change. Even if you gave your side to another man.’

Of course. She wasn’t at fault at all.

The fault lies with the bastard who may have taken her side for the past three years. And…

With himself, who cruelly drove her to the point where she had no choice but to leave.

“Then I’ll be back.”

Edric hugged Melly tightly and left the store.

By then, his eyes had already turned fierce.