While waiting in her quarters after meticulously dressing up, someone knocked on the door.

“……”

Melly felt like her breath was taken away. She checked the clock. It was earlier than the scheduled time.

Thinking that he had come early especially for her today, Melly was delighted.

“Come in.”

But as soon as she saw the face of the person who entered, her smile quickly disappeared.

“My lady.”

Wilson came in, gave a silent bow, and conveyed Edric’s message.

He got straight to the point without any preamble.

“His Lordship said to tell you that he won’t be able to go out with you today.”

It was a bolt from the blue for Melly. She asked in a trembling voice.

“W… Why?”

“He has a lot of work.”

“Wh-what work… How much?”

“I don’t know that either.”

Wilson gave brief answers only to what Melly asked. He never spoke satisfyingly all at once.

Therefore, Melly had to keep asking until she was convinced.

“So how late will he be?”

“I’m not sure about that either. It will depend on His Lordship’s circumstances.”

“Still, did he not say when he would come in?”

“Not at all, he said nothing.”

Wilson’s gaze as he stiffly reported the facts was quite insolent.

‘Far from feeling sorry for a husband working overtime, she’s restless because he couldn’t keep a date promise. No wonder His Lordship ignores her.’

But Melly paid no heed to his insolent attitude. What was important to her was not Wilson, but the fact that she could not see the sunset with Edric.

Only that fact made her feel sad.

“I see. Thank you for letting me know.”

Melly said weakly. Wilson clicked his tongue as if to say ‘of course you should be grateful’ and turned around.

His appearance resembled Edric, whom he respected.

Melly sighed and scanned the room. The place where she had been waiting with a fluttering heart just a moment ago now suddenly felt unfamiliar.

Suddenly, her own figure in the wall mirror caught her eye.

Hair that was innocently let down and then twisted into a half-up style with a few strands on both sides.

An elegant yet active attire.

The face that Oz had put a lot of effort into making up. The more defined features made her so satisfied that she couldn’t close her mouth even when looking at herself.

How would he think when he saw this appearance, would he make a surprised face, or would he take her to the bedroom instead of going for a walk later, the moments when she giggled while imagining.

Those moments would now forever remain in her head as mere imagination…

‘No. That’s not true.’

Melly’s fading eyes revived at the sudden positive thought.

Her face slowly brightened. As if she had discovered a handful of tree roots at the end of a cliff just before falling.

With a face full of delight, she got up from her seat and left her quarters.

“Stop.”

Edric told the coachman.

It was about half a mile from the mansion.

“Yes, Your Lordship.”

The coachman opened the carriage door without asking why, nimbly jumping down.

Edric, who stepped down onto the finely trodden ground, looked tired. But his expression was not gloomy.

Because he had neatly tied up his work.

According to the impatient emperor’s demands, he had rushed to push forward the expo schedule, and in exchange for taking on the role of general manager, he also reaped the benefit of a five-year tax exemption.

It was a huge benefit considering the money he was making. The emperor seemed to be under the illusion that the deal was more advantageous to him.

Other than that, it took some time to postpone the scheduled events and reallocate all the capital and manpower to match the expo, but he was satisfied because a satisfactory picture emerged as much as the time invested.

He took out a cigar, put it in his mouth, and rummaged through his inside pocket to light it.

A small square case with a weight was felt at his fingertips. It was a pure gold lighter engraved with the traditional pattern of the imperial family, bestowed by the emperor as a reward for taking on this job. He had not even given it to his own son.

‘Well, even if I give something good to that stupid boy who doesn’t even know what’s good, a bronze lighter would be just right for him.’

With a sneer on his face, he lit the end of the cigar.

The flame rose tall and quickly transferred to the end of the cigar.

Beyond the hazy cigar smoke, a grand mansion that maintained its dignity even from afar could be seen.

His house, the great mansion of the Pelton ducal family.

The very place that moved and stopped at his single word.

The beautiful, elegant, and dignified world that his ancestors had created and he had illuminated was majestically awaiting the return of its monarch.

Facing the quite cool night breeze, Edric headed towards his domain.

His steps were leisurely and comfortable. Until he entered the garden.

“……”

The moment he saw a slender figure wandering in the garden in the darkness, Edric’s expression hardened.

Melly was strolling in the garden. Wearing only a thin shawl.

Only then did Edric realize that he had completely forgotten about Melly while immersed in his work.

It was after he had a message conveyed to her through Wilson, so from his perspective, it was even more inevitable.

Melly was going back and forth between the beginning of the narrow path leading to the rear garden and the corridor. Even while walking lost in thought, judging from how she didn’t stumble over shrubs or rocks, she seemed to have walked that path countless times.

How long had she been out here?

Perhaps at six o’clock when the appointment was made? Or even before that?

Suddenly, Edric felt suffocated as if someone was strangling his neck. The memory of the last time they shared a bed rose up and made him uncomfortable.

He pulled his tie to loosen his collar and approached Melly.

Startled by the sudden presence, Melly clutched her chest in surprise.

“Were you waiting for me?”

He put the cigar he had in his mouth between his fingers and asked, pretending not to know.

After her startled heart barely calmed down, Melly sighed and answered.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

He said, flicking the ash clinging to the end of the cigar.

“I told you I wouldn’t be able to keep today’s promise.”

It was a firm tone, but unlike usual, Melly’s spirit was not broken.

“You said it would be difficult to go out together. Not that you couldn’t keep the promise.”

She reminded him of his promise with steadfast eyes.

‘Let’s do it your way this wedding anniversary.’

“……”

Edric stared at her intently. His expression wasn’t cold. Rather, a smile hung on the corner of his mouth as if he found his mistake absurd.

Haa-.

Eventually, he let out a short sigh as if releasing the laughter he had been holding back and spoke.

“I see.”

“……”

“Alright, fine. A promise is a promise. What do you want to do?”

Melly, who had been tense during the brief silence, relaxed at Edric’s generous tone.

She opened her mouth.

“I…”

“If not the sunset, do you want to see the night view at least? You like Milord Square.”

Edric cut her off.

“Or do you want to go somewhere nice and have a glass of wine? If not that, then a trip?”

“……”

Melly was momentarily dazed by his aggressive tone. But she quickly came to her senses and said,

“No, that’s not what I want…”

“Haa…”

He let out another sigh of lament and said,

“I really can’t make any promises to you.”

“……”

“Because once you promise something, you urge the person to keep it until they do.”

For a moment, Melly’s eyes widened. Just as when you are unexpectedly slapped on the cheek, the feeling of perplexity is greater than the pain, she also took time to grasp the situation.

But soon she realized the criticism directed at her, and her gaze gradually sank.

“I’m sorry. I’m not asking for something big…”

But her voice was too small to reach Edric’s ears.

“I learned one lesson from this.”

He continued in a cold voice.

“I need to be careful when making promises to you in the future.”

“……”

Melly’s gaze fell lower and lower to the ground.

Edric saw a drop of water fall to the ground with a plop-.

He made Melly cry. He gave her tears as a wedding anniversary gift.

‘Damn it.’

This was why he had canceled the promise, fearing it would turn out like this, but fate made him hurt her again as if playing a joke. Once again.

But on the other hand, he also had this thought.

‘What did I even say?’

From his standards, what he said was quite mild.

He had only suppressed what he really wanted to say and barely let out a small part of it.

Yet she was hurt by that.

He wanted to let her know that real pain comes from words like these, that what he had just said didn’t even belong to the category of vicious remarks.

‘You should have made a proper plan in the first place. Then I would have kept it even if I had to go out of my way, wouldn’t I? It’s your fault for making a trivial promise and making me neglect it.’

But he swallowed those words. He felt that the moment he said that, something irreversible would happen.

He calmed his agitated emotions and spoke composedly.

“Instead of not being able to see the sunset, I’ll give you the Lenisis villa as originally planned.”

It was the best he could say. Although he knew her heart would not be appeased by that.

Melly said nothing as if in protest. The teardrops falling to the ground increased.

‘What more do you want me to do here?’

Edric felt dizzy from the rapidly mounting fatigue. He wanted to get out of this situation. Suddenly, Melly seemed like a being too much for him to handle.

“Let’s go inside now.”

He walked past Melly with big strides.

He thought she would follow.

Even if she didn’t trail behind him as usual, receiving his clothes and brushing off the dust. Still, he thought she would follow. Because she always had.

But for the first time in five years, Melly did not follow him.

Melly stood there as she was.

Her small shoulders slumped as if pressed down by the moonlight.

Edric’s heart was heavy at that miserable sight. He felt the urge to run to Melly right away and apologize. But habit did not let him do that.

Edric stubbornly turned around and kept walking.

Even the ghost of guilt that followed him for a long time could not stop his footsteps.