All the servants were outside.

They were murmuring and anxious as if they had suddenly been forced out of the castle. The head butler was busy calming the commotion, saying it was the master’s order.

“The master’s order?”

Hyacinth pushed through the people and stared directly at the head butler.

He flinched at the sight of her red hair, realizing a beat late that she was ‘Hyacinth Hener’ and not ‘Bridget Erentis.’ Bowing his head and apologizing, he explained obediently.

“The Duke ordered us to leave the castle for a while.”

“Then, where is Duke Trisel?”

“He is inside with the Grand Duchess.”

The feeling of foreboding intensified.

It was not a guess but a certainty. Hyacinth instinctively knew.

So she kicked off her shoes and ran madly into the castle. Ignoring the nanny and her two cousins who were shouting in surprise at her antics.

Sure enough.

The acrid smell of smoke, indicating the world was being consumed by fire, was unmistakable. A smell that no human with a survival instinct could miss. The scent of death was in the air. And the smell of oil too.

That man had finally made up his mind. Hyacinth gritted her teeth and focused on her intuition first. She knew exactly where Ethan Erentis would be waiting for death. No one knew him as well as she did.

Racing to find the man, her steps were filled with anger. She couldn’t bear the thought of the man choosing to die on his own.

How dare he try to die.

How dare he.

Of course, she knew she was the one who had slapped him and repeatedly told him to die a few days ago. But if he really died? What about me? Would I have to live my whole life feeling like I had killed someone? Isn’t he a crazy bastard?

Finding the stairs, Hyacinth ran up, not caring if the smoke got thicker. Her bare feet got scratched and hurt. The oil-slicked floor was slippery. She fell several times but got up like a roly-poly toy. She had no time to worry about trivial pains.

But it was a pain that created a gap in her emotions.

Between the cracks of intense anger, a new emotion began to settle. Hyacinth gritted her teeth between her ragged breaths. She hadn’t forgiven Ethan Erentis. She wouldn’t forgive him even if she went mad.

But she had to save him.

She had to save him. Not because she had forgotten his sins. Just…. Just because she felt sorry for him. Because he was a bit pitiful. She couldn’t leave someone who had lived such a life to die like this. She could see so clearly the past he must have struggled through in misery all his life, and an uncontrollable sympathy surged up. Emotions were never in the realm of reason.

Hyacinth climbed up and up the stairs…

Wandered and wandered…

Until she found him.

As soon as she saw the door, she kicked it open.

She was curious about what expression he would have, but not about what he was doing. She had already guessed.

Cold wind whipped around.

Even at a dizzying height, the man with silver hair didn’t care. With a pale face and absorbed eyes, he sat precariously on the windowsill.

He turned around as soon as he heard the loud noise.

He looked at Hyacinth blankly… really blankly.

A truly eerie silence. Only the silence connected to death was thick.

“Did you come out to greet me?”

The man broke the silence first.

“I didn’t know I deserved such a welcome.”

Hyacinth became a little calmer. Despite the flickering flames and the death approaching from behind.

“Think of this as my… belated apology.”

“Ethan Erentis.”

“Yes.”

“What are you apologizing for?”

Only then did the man adjust his posture. He seemed lost in thought, pondering over words. While Ethan Erentis was deep in thought, Hyacinth also faced reality coldly.

They couldn’t go out through the door. By now, the escape route was blocked.

Then there was only one way. The window. The place where she once ended her life would now save them.

“For being prejudiced against you and misunderstanding you. For avoiding the truth. For not believing you. For belittling your feelings. For not keeping my promises.”

“…”

“Because your misfortune was my fault, so perhaps I should apologize to myself.”

“…”

“And… I’m sorry for loving you.”

“Really? That’s great. Serves you right.”

Ethan Erentis tilted his head with a blank face, as if it wasn’t the reaction he expected. Regardless, Hyacinth approached the man and grabbed his collar. She placed her hand on his cheek, which he offered willingly.

Confirming the warmth, the man’s heart immediately panicked. His heart pounded madly. His eyes widened. He took a sharp breath.

“Now, you can save me.”

“Why are you here—!”

As Hyacinth let out a small laugh, the man roughly grabbed her. Then he jumped out of the window with her.

Enduring the sensation of the ground pulling them down fiercely, Hyacinth took a breath. Amid the smell of oil, she could catch the winter scent of the man. How she could feel that faint aroma, she didn’t know, but it was certainly there.

Suddenly, a scene that wasn’t even present there flickered before her eyes.

A man walking into the snowy field on a snowy, secluded night. His steps were unwavering. A back soaked in sorrow.

‘They say on a night of heavy snowfall, if you freeze to death alone in the snowfield, a fairy will take pity on you and grant your wish.’

So that’s what it was.

You risked your life to turn back time.

For me. Hoping that I would live again.

The realization was instantaneous. Hyacinth, holding the man tightly, fell.

* * *

And Ethan Erentis, holding Hyacinth Hener tightly, fell. Wrapping his entire body around her to shield her from any impact.

Naturally, Hyacinth Hener was unharmed.

Ethan Erentis, too, was unharmed except for a cleanly broken leg.

It was a height that should have resulted in death.

…It was a miracle.

* * *

The miracle didn’t end there.

Though it was the north where sleet might fall but rain rarely did, that day the temperature had risen and rain had fallen.

The rain was not heavy, but the drops were thick enough.

The rain fell long and persistently until all the flames were extinguished.

Hyacinth, feeling the sorrowful tears of the sky, urgently got up. She had to check if the man beneath her was safe. In her previous life, she had died falling from this height.

So, what about the man in this life?

No matter how skilled a knight Ethan Erentis was, he couldn’t avoid death if a sword pierced his heart. Falling from that height would also put considerable strain on his body.

“Ethan?”

“…”

“Ethan…?”

“Why.”

He’s alive.

Surprisingly, he was really alive!

She felt relieved for a moment. The man, who was trying to get up following her, suddenly collapsed. His trembling hand reached out and grabbed the hem of Hyacinth’s bliaut.

“Why…!”

His voice was fierce.

One could have pointed out his loud voice, but Hyacinth remained silent, unable to say anything.

“Why did you save me? Why! Why! Why…!”

A scream as if he was coughing up blood. The death throes of a beast cornered to the edge, crying out alone. His sorrowful wail echoed in the rain.

Resentment, hatred, regret, disillusionment, resignation, despair, despair, and more despair.

His hand, tearing at the hem of her bliaut, was rough. His other hand was hitting the ground so hard that it bled.

Having returned from the brink of death, the man utterly loathed the chance at life given to him again.

“Why did you save me—!”

“…”

“Why! Why, why, why did you save me…”

“…”

“Why, did you save me…”

Even though it rained, Hyacinth knew.

The unhappy man was finally crying.

* * *

Ethan Erentis did not get up for two days.

In place of the unconscious Grand Duke of the North, the second prince, Benjamin, led the people. The youngest prince, Caleb, also did his best to calm the anxious Bremlin.

Meanwhile, Lady Hyacinth of Laurel stayed by the bedside of the one who slept like he was dead. As if insisting that he should see her first when he opened his eyes.

Thus, when Ethan Erentis woke up and got up, the first person he saw was, of course, Hyacinth Hener.

At that moment, Hyacinth was slowly eating bread. Occasionally glancing at the bed, she was organizing her already sorted thoughts again.

Perhaps because she had prepared her mind for the moment the man would open his eyes, she could maintain a very calm demeanor. She did not make a fuss, nor did she overtly show any emotion, she just quietly stared.

On the other hand, Ethan Erentis, who had been sleeping for two days, was completely unprepared. Facing Hyacinth without any resolve, he ended up revealing his emotions plainly.

“Why.”

He repeated the question he had screamed until his throat was ruined before he fainted.

“Why did you save me…?”

“Because I wanted to.”

Hyacinth responded calmly.

“It’s my choice. Do you have a problem with it? Speak up.”

“…”

“Speak up, I said.”

Ethan slyly avoided her gaze like a defeated man. Those piercing green eyes were quite scary. He curled up more under the blanket to avoid the woman’s fierce-looking gaze.

“Oh, and don’t think I’ve forgiven you. Don’t get it wrong.”

“…I won’t.”

He never expected a miracle he didn’t deserve.

Ethan didn’t feel sad. He had no right to.