Ethan stood there for a long time, staring blankly after half-throwing Bridget Erentis to the floor. Then, slowly, he buried his face in his hands.

He had lost his mind upon hearing that the damn woman had invited ‘her.’ Despite knowing he would explode, he sought out Bridget and, indeed, exploded.

‘I said I didn’t want this!’

He was sincere.

He truly didn’t want Hyacinth Hener. He didn’t desire her, nor did he wish for her smile. He longed for her but couldn’t hope for her. Even as he wished for her happiness, he dared not hope that her happiness would be connected to him.

He wished for her to live happily in a place where he was absent, where his gaze did not reach.

He had no desire to possess her.

None at all….

He believed he didn’t.

But now, he buried his trembling face in his hands. It was irresistible. He couldn’t lift his head at all.

In the past, before his emotions changed like now.

Hyacinth Hener was hateful because she resembled Bridget Erentis. Her red hair was annoying, and it was ridiculous when she used her desires to eventually marry him.

Hener, who gets whatever they want.

Hener, who does whatever they desire.

He found such behavior disgustingly selfish and hated the woman. She was annoying, and her claim of love was hypocritical, which made her even more irritating.

In truth, Hyacinth Hener was the only being who could evoke intense emotions from him.

The result of long-term abuse was the death of emotions. The man, who lived a taxidermied life without crying or knowing laughter, hated the woman who stirred him every time. He hated her more because she managed to revive even the emotion of hatred in him. That’s it.

Hyacinth Hener was an unbearably burdensome existence.

Every time her red hair darted across the garden of Bremlin Castle, Ethan was sometimes overwhelmed with the urge to run down there, grab her shoulders, and shake her madly.

Why are you doing this to me?

Why, when I’m living quietly, do you always stir me up and mess everything up? Don’t you pity me? Why do you keep reminding me that I’m not normal, that I’m broken and messed up?

I hate you.

Ethan stubbornly muttered to his wife. I hate you, I resent you, you are burdensome, annoying, and detestable.

In his previous life, Ethan Erentis deceived himself into thinking it wasn’t desire.

In this life, Ethan Erentis deceived himself again, thinking it wasn’t affection.

At the moment of confrontation with Bridget Erentis. As soon as he saw the red-haired woman looking up at him resentfully, his strength left his hands.

At the same time, Ethan Erentis realized a horrifying fact.

He couldn’t kill her. He could no longer kill this woman.

If until now he hadn’t killed her because he didn’t want to, just a moment ago, he truly wanted to kill her but couldn’t. Because she momentarily looked like Hyacinth. Because she reminded him of Hyacinth. Because she resembled the woman he misunderstood and drove to death.

His hatred toward Bridget Erentis, as solid as the emotions built up over almost a lifetime, crumbled in an instant. Just because she reminded him of Hyacinth Hener.

This…

If this isn’t affection, then what is it?

Ethan smacked his forehead. He was completely awake. The murderous intent that had lost its direction was now turning toward himself, making him desperately want to kill himself. If only he could peel off his skin and burn himself alive.

There are moments when even one cannot forgive themselves. Ethan wanted to kill himself for committing such an original sin, for shamelessly falling in love, for desiring a woman he had no right to want.

The feeling of wanting to die and the feeling of wanting to mutilate and kill oneself were different. He felt he couldn’t stand it without seeing his own blood.

Only after the woman’s shrill scream pierced his eardrums did Ethan realize what he had done.

When he raised his hand to touch his forehead, his palm was covered in blood.

It was the result of repeatedly banging his head against the stone wall. It wasn’t funny. Ethan let out a hollow laugh. It really wasn’t funny. Even in this state, people don’t die.

Sometimes they die so easily, yet in times like this, they don’t die.

With what face am I alive? Seriously. I should have just died. As soon as I came back, without checking on her safety, I should have just died again. If I had jumped out of the window like that woman, I could have easily and lightly atoned.

A sinner deserving to be beaten to death. How dare I. How dare I.

“Ethan Erentis.”

Bridget Erentis spoke with a voice as if being choked, even though he wasn’t threatening her now.

With his forehead against the stone wall, Ethan rolled his eyes to look at the woman. His stepmother stood there with a pale, terrified face. Although he was the one whose skin was torn and bleeding profusely, her fingertips were trembling uncontrollably.

…Wait, huh?

Then Ethan burst into laughter with a flushed face. He was sharp enough and experienced enough to read emotions. My God. Laughter outweighed contempt. It was so ridiculously funny that Ethan didn’t bother to hold back.

Ah. You care about me.

After all the abuse, now you care about me and worry about me.

Does this even make sense? Crazy woman. After a long time of choking with laughter, finally, he managed to stop.

“I’ll admit it, Bridget. You are indeed refreshing. Not knowing your true nature, my father was indeed a fool.”

“…”

“Accepting the invitation was ultimately the decision of the lady. It can’t be undone… But if you touch that woman, we will have quite some fun.”

Ethan chuckled and walked out, covered in blood.

* * *

Caleb was surprised when Hyacinth accepted the invitation from the Duchess. Benjamin was surprised, and Arthur was surprised. Her Uncle, King Kendrick, was surprised as well, but the only person who wasn’t surprised was Aunt, Queen Johanna.

“Do you want to go?”

“Yes.”

“Then go. But take at least one of my sons with you.”

“Yes, Aunt. Thank you.”

Crown Prince Arthur was naturally excluded. Arthur was resentful to the point of stomping his feet, but the opportunity fell to Benjamin and Caleb. Considering they had to travel to a distant region, one would expect them to be reluctant, but both Benjamin and Caleb showed intense enthusiasm.

“Me, me! I want to go!”

Caleb clamored noisily,

“I want to go.”

Benjamin solemnly expressed his opinion.

Hyacinth seemed to understand why they wanted to follow but didn’t want to know. She glared at her cousins with a sullen face. Both of them simultaneously avoided her gaze, perhaps feeling somewhat guilty.

In the end, both ended up following her.

Since Caleb was the knight among the both of them, he was the best choice to escape any potential misfortune. However, sending only Caleb…

If a prince caused trouble, it would bring disgrace to the family, the royal family, and the country threefold, but the possibility of Caleb not causing trouble was slim. So what could she do?

Hyacinth had to take Benjamin along as well, as he was enough to restrain him.

Having obtained the consent of her family, she believed she would smoothly depart for the North, but unexpectedly, a new obstacle appeared.

It was Ethan Erentis, the Duke of Trisel.

The man, who appeared suddenly like the first snow of winter, approached Hyacinth while she was taking a walk in the garden. At that moment, she was with a kitten with a short tail given to her by the royal physician.

The kitten purred weakly in the basket. The Duke’s weary eyes briefly touched the animal and then moved away. He must have recognized it, but his indifferent gaze seemed unconcerned.

His attention seemed solely focused on Hyacinth.

Did he hurt his head? How did that happen? Hyacinth glanced at the man’s bandage-wrapped head while holding the basket tightly.

“Lady Laurel.”

Ethan Erentis asked in a faint voice.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Hyacinth responded as calmly as possible.

The man had changed quite a bit since she last saw him. She didn’t know what caused the change, but he looked as if he was carrying all the worries of the world and, at the same time, seemed to have let go of all those worries.

He was out of his mind but still focused on her.

Originally, he was a man who exuded an alien, detached atmosphere, and now he seemed even more so. He looked like he had transcended humanity and become a part of nature’s inorganic matter.

Hyacinth stopped herself from speaking and eventually closed her mouth. She wanted to ask if his forehead was the result of the Duchess’s misdeeds, but it didn’t seem appropriate. After hesitating, she decided to act as if she hadn’t seen anything.

“What is it, Duke?”

“I heard you were invited by the Duchess.”

“Yes, the Duchess personally honored me with an invitation.”

“Did you want to come?”

“…”

“Really?”

Hyacinth blinked and then straightened her back. She squared her shoulders and asked defiantly.

“Do you not want me to come?”

“I only follow the lady’s wishes.”

A statement devoid of any flavor. It contained extreme subservience.

At the same time, it seemed to be an earnest sincerity. No matter what choice she made, Ethan Erentis seemed ready to accept it all.

Even to the extent that even her family wouldn’t.

“I want to go.”

Hyacinth confessed honestly.

“If I go… The dream I told Your Highness about might become more concrete. I have that feeling.”

“I see.”

“Yes. However, if the Duke dislikes it, I won’t insist on going right away.”

At Hyacinth’s words, Ethan Erentis smiled gently.

If kindness could be measured, his smile was like the texture of spring, but since it was Ethan Erentis smiling, the smile contained the loneliness of winter.

“I only follow the lady’s wishes.”

Repeating the short sentence, Ethan Erentis bowed deeply to show respect to his master.

In the North, the sinner would be judged.

The end is approaching. The man accurately guessed.

It was time to accept the conclusion of this long, arduous story.

* * *

Before the summer ended, the two princes and the Lady of Laurel departed with the Duke of Trisel.

Their destination was Bremlin.

The main castle of the North, the stronghold of the Duke of Trisel.