I hid my embarrassment with a grumpy voice.

“And you liked to lie in bed and listen to music.”

I still loved music very much.

My eyes brightened as I was drawn into stories of a past I couldn’t remember.

Though these weren’t actually my stories, they fascinated me.

I hoped he would continue telling me about my past that I couldn’t recall.

“I was actually quite poor at playing the piano, but I worked hard to play for you.”

“I see.”

“My father was puzzled why a boy who played terribly in class suddenly became so passionate.”

Then he lifted his pale, elegant fingers in the air, mimicking playing the piano.

“You would often insist on getting up to play the piano yourself.”

“Was my health so poor that even sitting at the piano was difficult?”

After asking this, I felt somewhat sorry for Leonora.

“Yes, it was. That’s why I wanted to make a smaller, lighter piano. A tiny piano you could play on your lap.”

“Oh, that’s not a bad idea.”

“I even stayed indoors for a while, claiming I would invent one.”

“And then? What happened?”

“If I had succeeded…… I wouldn’t be here. I’d probably be selling miniature pianos at an exhibition hall somewhere.”

I burst into laughter at his smooth talking.

Levi seemed pleased to have made me laugh and asked another question with an even more encouraged expression.

“Is there anything else you’re curious about?”

“Sir Merten, you’re friends with my brother Allentain, right?”

“Yes.”

“You said you came from Bilmotz…… how did you two become close?”

This had been my biggest question from the start.

Why he came to Ostrin, what kind of work he did.

To be familiar enough with the Chadmon family, he must be quite important, yet no matter how much I searched my memories, I couldn’t recall ever meeting this man at the imperial palace.

Of course, I wasn’t particularly knowledgeable about political affairs to understand Bilmotz’s situation.

Come to think of it, I couldn’t remember many people except for a few diplomats.

But surely a handsome man like Levi would have been imprinted in my mind at first sight.

“You’ll find out about that gradually.”

He simply smiled and skipped over the part I was most curious about.

Well, what does it matter what he does for a living?

The important thing is that he’s someone who can help prevent my fate from falling back into the gutter.

Just then, Levi turned his head toward me and asked.

“Are you alright?”

“What do you mean?”

“I wondered if you were tired.”

“No, I’m fine. I feel like I could circle the garden twenty more times.”

“My goodness.”

Levi smiled gently and continued.

“I still can’t believe how healthy you’ve become. It feels strange and unfamiliar.”

“My father and brothers all say the same thing.”

“Still, let’s not overdo it. Shall we sit down? We’ve been walking for quite a while.”

He examined my complexion and pointed to a bench ahead.

“Alright.”

The Chadmon family kept peacocks in the back garden, and in front of their beautifully decorated large cage stood a bench and swing that my grandfather had custom-made.

“My lady.”

Just as I was gazing at the peacocks leisurely wandering about, Levi called me.

Perhaps now he would ask me the questions he had.

My mouth went dry.

Thinking it might be better to take the initiative rather than wait anxiously, I spoke first.

“Well, about…… why I cut up the dress His Majesty bestowed.”

“I know, you said you disliked it.”

Yes, I certainly did say that.

I was actually more flustered by how simply he accepted it.

Levi spoke lightly as if it were no big deal.

“You might dislike it. Not everything is good just because the Emperor bestowed it.”

“R-right.”

“I didn’t see it clearly, but the color didn’t suit you either.”

“Exactly, it wasn’t even a fashionable color. That outdated pale pink.”

After blurting all that out, I immediately regretted being so careless with my words.

Though it was too late for such thoughts.

“Relieving stress in constructive ways is good for your health. You looked quite happy up on the second floor earlier.”

Levi extended two fingers, mimicking scissors cutting, as he spoke.

At that moment, I somewhat understood why we had been friends.

Well, we did communicate well, and I needed to clean up the mess I’d made.

“And about the marriage talk earlier, which must have surprised you.”

I had blurted it out impulsively, but getting married like this was absurd.

If possible, I planned to persuade Levi and buy some time.

There was no better way to divert the Emperor’s attention.

If another man likes me and I’m marrying someone else, what can he do about it?

I’m really sorry, but please help me just this once, think of it as saving my life!

But.

“Leonora Chadmon.”

Levi Merten dropped an unexpected answer on my feet.

“Let’s do it. Let’s get married.”

“That’s fi—wait, what did you say?”